Systems for the control and use of fluids and particles

ABSTRACT

The configuration of a feedstock material is controlled by bringing it into contact with at least a first gas moving against it at a location with an area and thickness of the feedstock liquid that forms drops or fibers of a selected size. In one embodiment, drops of agricultural input materials are formed for spraying on agricultural fields. In another embodiment, nanofibers of materials such as chitosan or metals are formed. In another embodiment seeds are planted with gel.

RELATED CASES

This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/109,398 filed Apr. 19, 2005, entitled SYSTEMS FOR THECONTROL AND USE OF FLUIDS AND PARTICLES by inventors, John Alvin Eastinand David Vu.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the forming, shaping, control and use offluids, fibers and particles such as for example the formulation of apesticide, shaping it into droplets, and the distribution of thedroplets over a field to control pests or the or the formulation of asoluble chitosan, the shaping it into fibers or mats or sheets and theuse of the fibers, mats and sheets such as for example in biomedicalapplications.

It is known to shape and spray fluids with spray apparatuses. In someapplications, the fluids are formed into droplets or aerosols andsprayed. In other applications, the fluids form fibers, or powders orparticles.

In one prior art use of spray apparatus, agricultural input fluids aresprayed onto agricultural fields. Under some circumstances, vehiclesused to spray agricultural fields carry large volumes of diluted activeingredients because it is difficult to spray more concentrated forms ofthe active ingredient. They may also need to be outfitted with a highpressure source of air and relatively large pumps for the liquidcontaining the active ingredient because high pressure air is needed toform the desired spray and a large volume of liquid containing theactive ingredient must be pumped. In some systems the nozzles arerelatively high above the target for the spray to permit the cone offluid to provide an adequate area of coverage with the spray. Usuallythe cone angle is determined by the nozzle and has a limited angle. Onereason for diluting the active ingredient is because existing sprayequipment used in agriculture cannot spray viscous material with thedesired size drops and drop distribution.

The prior art spray apparatuses have several disadvantages such as forexample: (1) they require vehicles carrying the agricultural inputs tocarry heavier weights of agricultural inputs with the associated watercarrier than desirable; (2) they require the replenishment of the supplyof agricultural inputs carried by the spray vehicles periodically, thusincreasing the time and expense of spraying; (3) they cannot be used forthe application of some beneficial microbes because the microbes arekilled by the high pressure used in the prior art techniques forapplication of agricultural inputs; (4) the low viscosity agriculturalinputs drift when sprayed; (5) some of the carriers used for dilution,such as water, have high surface tension and form beads on contactrather than spreading such as over a leaf, (6) the sprayed drops tend tobreak up because of lowered shear resistance, thus forming smaller dropsthat are subject to increased drift; (7) some of the carriers used fordilution, such as water, have unpredictable mineral content and pHvariations; (8) the angle of the cone of sprayed fluid from the nozzlesis small thus requiring the nozzle to be positioned at a high elevationto obtain adequate coverage but the high elevation increases drift; (9)the use of some carriers for dilution in some circumstances causesprecipitation of active ingredients and (10) the prior art systemscannot effectively spray some particles such as particles that haveabsorbed active ingredients in them that are to be released at a latertime or over a timed interval.

Spray apparatus are known for spraying viscous materials. This type ofspraying apparatus has not generally been adapted for use in sprayingagricultural inputs. Moreover, the known spraying apparatus for sprayingviscous materials is not readily adjustable for different size dropletsor particles or viscosity of the droplets and is not equipped with aconvenient mechanism to adjust drop size or pattern or viscosity of thedrops in the field as appropriate and thus reduce drift by convenientlyadjusting drop size and viscosity in accordance with circumstances suchas wind speed, height of spraying or speed such as for example by groundvehicle or airplane.

It is known to form nanofibers using electrospinning techniques. In theprior art method of forming nanofibers by electrospinning, fluids aredrawn into small diameters fluid ligaments or columns and dried to formthe fibers. The prior techniques for forming nanofibers havedisadvantages in that they are not suitable for forming nanofibers ofviscous fluids because the electric potential to adequately draw theviscous fluid is close to the break down potential of air and the systemcauses corona discharge before the fibers can be formed.

It is known to use chitosan as a biodegradable structural member,particularly in medical applications. Chitosan is a hydrolyzed productof chitin, that is antifungal, anti-allergic, anti-tumor,immune-activating. Chitin is a common naturally occurring materialformed of glucosamine and N-acetylglucosamine units, and obtained by achitin hydrolysis process. Chitosan fibers and mats of chitosan are thusformed by electrospinning of chitosan solutions. However, conventionalchitosan solutions are undesirable for electrospinning because of theirhigh conductivity, viscosity and surface tension. Other difficultieswith putting chitosan in solution are toxicity of some solutions. Whilechitosan has long been known to form viscous gels in carboxylic acidssuch as acetic, formic, and ascorbic acid, as well as in mineral acids,it is not soluble in either water or basic solutions. In addition, allorganic solvents—with the notable exception of a 3 to 1 mixture ofdimethyleformamide and dinitrogen tetroxide, and somefluorine-containing solvents, which are both costly and toxic—are alsounable to dissolve chitosan regardless of its degree of deacetylation(DA).

It is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,992 B2 to form nanofibers bydirecting an air flow against a film on a flat surface. However, withthe method described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,992, only relatively shortfibers have been obtained and at times the fibers stick to one anotherWhen attempts have been made to keep the fibers separate by magnetodynamic force the fibers stuck to each other rather than being keptseparate.

In certain applications fiber deposits require a specific orientation,and there have been several prior art techniques to induce such type ofstructural ordering. Tanase, et al., used magnetic fields to alignsuspended nickel nanowires in solution. In electrospinning, groundedwheel-like bobbin collectors were used to align polyethylene oxidenanofibers. This method has one disadvantage, namely that it isimpossible to adjust the rotational speed of the collector to ensurethat fibers remain “continuous” i.e. without snapping due to a mismatchbetween the fiber deposition rate and the bobbin's angular velocity.

It is known from “Chitosan-Coating of Cellulosic Materials Using anAqueous Chitosan-C₂O Solution” Sakai et al Polumer Journal, v. 34, n. 3,pp 144-148 (2002) to coat paper and fibers with chitosan prepared inpart by bubbling carbon dioxide through a chitosan solution. However,the use of carbon dioxide was to dissolve the chitosan—not to removeacid and there is no suggestion of using carbon dioxide to remove theacid.

Fluid drilling systems that supply a mixture of gel and seeds onto anagricultural field are known. One prior art fluid drilling apparatususes impeller pumps or peristaltic pumps or the like to extrude amixture of gel and seeds. The seeds are germinated prior to planting.Such processes are shown in United Kingdom patent 1,045,732 and U.S.Pat. No. 4,224,882. These apparatuses have a tendency to distributeseeds with irregular and poorly controlled spacing between the seeds andunder some circumstances damage seeds. Moreover, they are prone toplugging from the accumulation of seeds in tubes used in the apparatus.

It is known that an internal delivery tube diameter to seed diameterratio of 3 to 1 is desirable for delivering gel seed mixtures to aplanter row. Moreover, when moving fluid gel seed mixtures in a tube,the seeds are propelled much faster at the center line of the tube thanat the side walls as a function of the laminar flow conditions whichexist for gels having a viscosity that suspends seeds. Because thetube-seed ratio must be so large, adequate flow for fluid drilling oflarge seeds requires inordinate amounts of fluid and very large pumps toget the seeds delivered. The requirements for pump size and fluidamounts increase exponentially as seed diameter increases linearly forthe systems currently in use.

It has also been shown with peristaltic pump systems at seed densitiesin gel where the volume of gel to volume of seed ratio is less thanabout 4, frequent blocking of the pump inlet port by seeds isexperienced. The same limitations apply to piston or air displacementsystems. Gels continue to extrude while the seeds pile up at the port asthe amount of seed in the mixture increases.

These disadvantages limit the flexibility of the current fluid drillinghardware for delivering large seeds and for using smaller quantities ofgel to reduce gel cost per acre. Further, this ratio limitation impactson the use of optimal concentrations of treatment chemicals ormicroorganisms in gels while still being able to use low total amountsof treatment per acre through using for example, gel to seed ratios of 1to 1. Thus the physics of dispensing seeds suspended in non-Newtonianfluids imposes strict limitations on the utility of the currentcommercial fluid drilling hardware.

Attempts to reduce this problem have relied in some circumstances onseed detectors, and counters or timers that attempt to control the rateof dispensing of seeds in accordance with the rate of travel of atractor. Such an approach is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,855,953. Thisapproach has not entirely solved the problem in a satisfactory manner.

It is also known to use screw type mechanisms that receive and captureseeds carried along by a fluid such as air or water and emit the seedsone by one. Such an apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,737,314 toAnderson. This apparatus has a disadvantage of damaging seeds and beingrelatively complicated and unreliable.

Augers are known for conveying matter from place to place but suchaugers have not been successfully adapted up to now to fluid drillingapparatuses. Some such augers have utilized a stream of air at an angleto the flow of material to break off controlled lengths of the materialand such an apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,846,529. However,this patent does not disclose any method of fluid drilling.

The augers used in the prior art are not designed in a manner adequateto separate seeds, to avoid plugging of the conduits carrying the seedsand gel to the nozzle from which they are to be expelled into the groundnor to maintain spacing between seeds while moving them along the auger.

It is also known to use openers and planting shoes to prepare a furrowin which to deposit seeds. The prior art planting shoes have adisadvantage when used for fluid drilling in that there is insufficientspace to permit accurate deposit of gel and seeds at a locationprotected by the shoe.

In some prior art planters, additives such as growth stimulants,fungicides, herbicides and/or beneficial microorganisms are depositedseparately from the seeds or deposited in materials such as peat. Theprior art apparatus for applying additives generally deposit granules.These apparatuses have a disadvantage in that they waste expensiveadditives by applying them nonuniformly and at locations where they arenot needed. Attempts to innoculate seeds with beneficial microorganismshave not been as successful as desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a novelapparatus for handling viscous materials.

It is an further object of the invention to provide a novel apparatusfor spraying viscous materials.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a novel methodand apparatus for the application of agricultural inputs.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a novel methodand apparatus for forming fibers.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a novel methodand apparatus for solubilizing chitosan.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a novel methodand apparatus for forming a biodegradable fabric with sufficient celladhesion to be implanted in animals.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide novelapparatuses and methods for planting.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a novelmechanism for fluid drilling seeds while keeping them properly spacedand undamaged.

It is still further object of the invention to provide a novel systemfor applying chemicals to fields for beneficial agricultural results.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a novelplanter.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a novel methodand apparatus for planting seed inoculated with beneficial organisms.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a novel methodand apparatus for planting seeds together with beneficial chemicals andmicroorganisms.

In accordance with the above and further objects of the invention,feedstock material is moved to the outlet of a fixture. At least oneother material, which is a fluid, referred to herein as kinetic energyfluid because it imparts energy to the feedstock, impacts the feedstockmaterial. The kinetic energy fluid shapes the feedstock material into aform that depends on any of several variables. The variables arephysical and energy characteristics of the feedstock material, of thekinetic energy fluid and of the fixture outlet. These variables causethe formation of drops, mist, vapor, fibers or solid particles dependingon their values. The feedstock material may be an agricultural inputsuch as a pesticide, fertilizer, liquid, gel, seeds, solid with specialproperties such as chitosan or combinations of these and maybe sprayedor used for fluid drilling or formed into and collected as fibers foragricultural, industrial, medical or other uses. The kinetic energyfluid is usually a gas such as air.

The relevant characteristics of the feed stock material, the kineticenergy fluid and fixture outlet include: (1) the physicalcharacteristics of the feedstock material and the kinetic energy fluid;(2) the energy characteristics of the feedstock material, the kineticenergy fluid and the fixture outlet or outlets; (3) the geometry of thefixture outlet or outlets and the relationship between the outlet forthe feedstock material and the kinetic energy fluid; (4) the dimensionsof the fluid material outlet and the kinetic energy outlet or outlets;(5) the molecular attraction between the feedstock material, thefeedstock material fixture outlet, the kinetic energy fluid and thekinetic energy fixture outlet.

The physical characteristics of the feedstock materials and the kineticenergy fluids are their density, viscosity, surface tension and vaporpressure. The energy characteristics of the feedstock materials and thekinetic energy fluids are their temperature and their energy density. Byenergy density herein, it is meant the rate at which the feedstockmaterial is pumped to the fixture outlet, the velocity and pressure atwhich the kinetic energy fluid or other energy source contacts thefeedstock material and external energy that may be applied such aspiezoelectric, ultrasonic, electrodynamic forces or electric fieldforces. It includes the enthalpy of the feedstock material and kineticenergy fluids and energy that can be imparted by other sources such asfor example, the application of charge to the output feedstock materialor vibration of the feedstock material.

The geometry of the fixture outlet or outlets includes their shape, suchas being an elongated slit that extrudes a sheet of feedstock materialor kinetic energy fluid or a circular or specially shaped slit thatextrudes a column or any other particular geometric shape. Thedimensions will be reflected by the shape but also sizes such as thewidth of the path being swept by the kinetic energy fluid, the length ofthe path, the roughness of the path, fluid viscosity, surface tension,the thickness of the feedstock and the angle at which the kinetic energyfluid impacts the feedstock material.

In one significant aspect of this invention, droplet size and sizedistributions of sprayed agricultural inputs to agricultural fields arecontrolled. For example, viscous agricultural products that would, inprior art practice, be diluted so they are no longer viscous and thensprayed, instead can be sprayed in their viscous form with a drop sizethat will maximize the usefulness of the droplets. Certain pesticides,for example, that in the prior art are techniques are diluted andsprayed at high cost because of the heavy weight of water carrier thatmust be carried by spray vehicles and need for frequent replenishing ofthe supply on the spray vehicles, can be sprayed in a more concentratedform using the equipment and processes of this invention at much lowercost. Moreover, the droplets formed by the prior art equipment arefrequently carried by the wind and become an environmental problem.However, with the method and apparatus of this invention, the problem ofdrift is reduced.

Another significant aspect of the invention is the formation of fibersand powders, particularly nano fibers and mats or thin membranes formedof fibers and powders having diameters in the nanometer range. A fixturehaving small diameter tubes or needles to supply feedstock to a workingarea where it is impacted by a stretching force can generate thin fibersof many materials that otherwise would be difficult to form in narrowfibers. In the preferred embodiment, the stretching force is suppliedprincipally by two kinetic energy fluids, having different velocitiesand impacting different portions of the feedstock material. In someranges of kinetic energy fluid, powders of the same materials can beformed. One material that is formed into fibers, or mats of thinmembranes or powders is chitosan. Chitosan is a biodegradable materialwhich, if formed into mats and fibers containing both hydrophilic andhydrophobic materials of certain preferred compositions, is desirablefor implanting during medical procedures. Electrospinning is a techniquecommonly used to obtain nano fibers but this technique is difficult touse with certain materials including chitosan and certain othermaterials because the fibers that are formed are at best very short orhave larger diameters than desirable. However, it has been found thatchitosan can be solubilized with an acidic acid solution and result in asuperior soluble composition for use in electro spinning or result ineconomical formation of powders. Moreover, electro spinning using thetechniques of this invention can result in long nanofibers that aresuperior to what have been obtainable in the past and can be used toform mats that are desirable for medical purposes. One use of powders isin encapsulation of liquids for later release or encapsulation of otheritems such as seeds to increase size or improve and identification ordetection such as with color or with fluorescence or for protection ofthe item.

To plant the seeds, they are mixed with a gel, which gel may includeadditives or additives may be added after the seeds and the gel aremixed. Additives may also be supplied from a separate source of gel tothe seed trench. The gel is in a ratio of no more than three parts byvolume of gel to one part by volume of seed although the exact ratiodiffers from seed to seed. It is sufficiently viscous to support theseeds and must have a viscosity of at least 180 centipoises. Generallythe viscosity of the gel is related to the density of the seeds andshould be within 20 percent of the density of the seed and have aviscosity sufficient to hold seeds for at least 10 minutes in suspensionwithout dropping more than 6 inches.

In this process a storage vessel communicates with a fixture through asemisolid transfer mechanism such as an auger. The storage vesselcontains semisolids, viscous liquids gels or powders, hereinafterreferred to as “seed suspension materials” in which seeds are suspendedor maintained spaced from each other for a period of time sufficient forfluid drilling. There is enough high density material includingparticles within the seed suspension materials to exert force on solidparticles such as seeds and move them with the seed suspension materialsrather than causing the seed suspension materials to flow around theseeds when force is applied. This combination permits seeds that arerandomly distributed in the seed suspension materials to be moved by anauger and eventually dispersed through the fixture.

The fixture may be adapted to spray the seed suspension materials andsmall seeds or to apply a gel and larger seeds to a trough. The seed andseed suspension materials may also be removed at the end of the auger bya seed knife which may be an air burst or a solid member that scrapesthe material into the trough. In this process, the seed suspensionmaterial maybe a material of sufficient density or a colloidalsuspension having a density and viscosity that is sufficient so that theseeds will be extremely slow in settling. The seeds should be supportedwithout settling more than 10 percent and preferably less than 5 percentin the period of time between mixing the seeds in the medium andplanting. Normally, this time will be less than a 24 hour period sincecommonly the farmer will mix the seeds and medium in the same 24 hourtime period as he plants.

To obtain adequate mixing, the seeds should have force directly appliedto them. This can be accomplished by mixing into the medium a sufficientamount of solid and semi-solid particles so that there is contactthrough the solid particles and the moving surfaces applying force formixing In one embodiment, this mixture is moved by an auger to a furrowfor planting and sections of it as appropriate for the number of seedsare removed from the end of the auger into the furrow. This can be donewith a substantially conventional planter. The auger will besynchronized normally with the speed of the planter which may bereceived from the wheel speed or any other proportional area.

The total acreage being utilized may be measured by a conventionalglobal positioning system for purposes of monitoring the amount of seedbeing dispersed and, under some circumstances, for accounting purposessuch as billing or the like. In this specification, a fluidic continuousmedium capable of suspending seeds and moving the seeds with thecontinuous medium while the seeds remain randomly distributed will becalled a “seed-supporting medium”.

The auger has pitch angles on the screw graduated from low angles at theinlet to facilitate feeding the seed gel mixture to higher angles in thedelivery tube section to give a friction pumping surface to move the gelseed mix. The screw in effect provides a shear surface motive force fordelivering the seed and fluid mixture while at the same time providing amoving delivery tube wall to dislodge any Seed pile ups and further, iteffectively singulates seeds into the delivery exit port.

In one embodiment, the seed suspension material is hospitable to andincorporates microorganisms and chemicals beneficial to the seeds thatare to be suspended in them. The beneficial inputs may be bio-chemicalsor beneficial microorganisms which can be inoculated onto the seedsurface and sustained by the appropriate seed and microbe supportingmedium. Many of the most suitable materials for inoculating seeds withbeneficial chemicals and microorganisms are semisolids and viscoushumectant that can be supplied with the appropriate seeds with a fixturein accordance with this invention.

In one embodiment, the mixture of gel and seed is placed in a hopperwhich communicates at its bottom with an auger: (1) having groovesbetween threads sufficiently wide to encompass at least two seeds withinthe matrix; (2) having trailing edges on the threads of the auger curvedto provide a shear plate force to move the seeds with the auger withoutcausing seeds to be removed from the viscoelastic suspending fluidmixture; and (3) being between three inches and 18 inches long. Theauger rotates at a speed sufficient to cause the shear surfaces of theauger mechanism to deliver seed particles to the seed dispensing port atthe rate desired for planting. The viscoelastic characteristics andsuspension ability of the seed suspending medium are designed to movethe seeds and suspension fluid through the system within ratio changes.

At the end of the auger, there is a tubular portion into which the seedgel is inserted, with the tubular portion being vibrated when necessaryby an external vibrator with sufficient maximum force intensity ormaximum acceleration and distance amplitude to maintain the seeds insuspension as they are forced to the tip. A cutting mechanism, such asair flow, removes the seeds from the tip, causing them to be droppedinto a furrow prepared by the planter. The air must be directed towardthe ground and must not deviate within 45 degrees from a perpendicularto the ground in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the auger and 75degrees in a plane aligned with the longitudinal axis of the auger.

The planter may be conventional and include conventional openers butbecause more space is needed to accommodate the gel delivery system thanmany conventional systems with seed delivery tubes, a planting shoe isused having a shield portion for the type, size and rate of seed beingdelivered so as to receive a gel delivery tube and seed separator inclose enough proximity to the seed trench to avoid blocking of nozzlesby soil from the trench preparation, or moving of the seed and gel fromits proper position by wind or planting system movement.

In one embodiment a separate second gel delivery system is used adjacentto the seed and gel system to deliver gel with additives into the seedtrench. Moreover, such a gel delivery system may be used to broadcast orband apply chemicals to fields separately from planting. The spacing ofseeds from each other in a row may be controlled by intermittentlystopping the air flow of the seeds in one embodiment. This may be doneby temporarily interrupting the air flow such as the blower or byblocking the air nozzle.

From the above summary of the invention, it can be understood that thespray method and apparatus of this invention has several advantages suchas for example: (1) vehicles and aircraft used for applying agriculturalinputs to fields to do not need to carry as heavy a load of agriculturalinputs, for example, they can carry the same active ingredients as priorart agricultural inputs with a reduction in water of as much as 90percent; (2) they reduce or eliminate the requirement for periodicaddition of water carrier for agricultural inputs, thus reducing thetime and expense of spraying;(3) they permit the application of somebeneficial microbes with seeds because the agricultural inputscontaining microbes can be applied at pressures low enough to avoidkilling the microbes and in viscous humectant fluids that facilitatebeneficial microbe infection; (4) the high viscosity, relatively largedrop size and narrow size distribution of the agricultural inputs reducedrift when sprayed; (5) it is possible to avoid diluting agriculturalinputs with carriers such as water that have high surface tension andform beads on contact rather than spreading such as over a leaf; 6)drops of agricultural inputs with greater shear resistance can be usedto reduce the breaking up of the drops and the resulting increase indrop size distribution, reduction in drop size and increased drift; (7)it is not necessary to add carriers used for dilution, such as water,that have unpredictable mineral content and pH variations; (8) thetendency for active ingredients to precipitate out with time because ofthe addition of carriers is reduced; and (9) in particular embodiments,the particle droplet size carrying active ingredients and formulationcarrier chemistry can be regulated and thus provide better penetrationinto a host.

It can be further understood from the above description that the planterin accordance with this invention has several advantages such as: (1) itcan provide effective fluid drilling with adequate separation of seeds;(2) it can provide planting of seeds with superior beneficial microbeinoculation characteristics; (3) it can combine effective planting withbeneficial chemical and microbial additives; (4) it provides goodseparation of seeds being planted without repeated mixing of the fluidand the seeds, (5) there is less damage to seed because of controlledpriming in the presence of air and controlled water uptake; (6) it iseconomical in the use of gel per acre; (7) there is less damage to seedsin the planting operation; (8) the seeds may be controlled for spacingin a superior manner to prior art drilling; (9) there is good controlover uniformity in time of emergence of the plants from the seeds; and(10) it facilitates addition of seed protection additive economically.

It can also be understood from the summary of the invention that themethod, formulations and apparatus for forming fibers in accordance withthis invention has several advantages, such as: (1) longer fibers can beformed; (2) chitosan fibers, mats, sheets and powders can be moreeconomically and better formed; (3) fibers can be formed withoutelectrospinning; and (4) fibers and powders can be formed moreefficiently and faster.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method for forming drops, fibers, mistsand/or vapor in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a simplified perspective drawing of one embodiment of spraysystem in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is simplified perspective drawing of one embodiment of fibergenerating fixture used in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the embodiment of spray apparatus of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken through lines 5-5 illustrating apossible variation of the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary front elevational view of an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective of one embodiment of spray apparatus inaccordance with invention;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of spray apparatus inaccordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a partly exploded view of the embodiment of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a partly broken away perspective view of still anotherembodiment of spray apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram of a spray apparatus in accordancewith an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram of a planter particle in accordancewith an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 13 is a schematic block diagram of another embodiment of planter inaccordance with the invention;

FIG. 14 is a flow diagram of a process for planting in accordance withan embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 15 is a flow diagram of another embodiment of a system for plantingin accordance with the invention;

FIG. 16 is a flow diagram of a process for forming fibers in accordancewith an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 17 is a flow diagram of a process for forming a liquid orsemi-solid suitable for use in the embodiment of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a simplified perspective drawing of a system for formingfibers in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 19 is an SEM of a non-oriented fiber membrane made in accordancewith an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 20 is an SEM of an oriented fiber membrane in accordance with anembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 21 is an SEM of non-oriented fiber mat in accordance with anembodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 22 is a block diagram of a planting system in accordance with anembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a tractor and planter usable in theembodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 24 is a fragmentary, elevational side view of a vegetable seedplanter in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 25 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of another embodiment ofplanter;

FIG. 26 is a simplified, perspective view of the embodiment of planterof FIG. 25;

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of a planting shoe in accordance with anembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 28 is second perspective view of the planting shoe of FIG. 27;

FIG. 29 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the planting shoein accordance with an embodiment of the invention, usable primarily withthe embodiments of the planters of FIGS. 26 and 27;

FIG. 30 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a small seed feederusable with the planters of FIGS. 23 and 24;

FIG. 31 is an elevational view, partly broken away of another embodimentof feeder usable with the planters of FIGS. 25 and 26;

FIG. 32 is a top view of the feeder of FIG. 31;

FIG. 33 is a fragmentary perspective view of the planter of FIG. 25, theshoe of FIG. 29 and the feeder of FIGS. 31 and 32.

FIGS. 34-36 are elevational views of embodiments of auger usable in afeeder such as that shown in FIGS. 31-33;

FIG. 37 is a perspective view of an embodiment of vibrator usable in thefeeders of FIGS. 31-33;

FIG. 38 is a perspective view of a nozzle usable in the feeder of FIGS.31 and 32;

FIG. 39 is an elevational view of a nozzle usable in the embodiment ofFIG. 31.

FIG. 40 is an elevational view of an air flow blocker usable in oneembodiment of feeder;

FIG. 41 is a top view of another embodiment of feeder;

FIG. 42 is a perspective view of the feeder of FIG. 38;

FIG. 43 is a perspective of apparatus for supplying additives to fields;and

FIG. 44 is a schematic plan view of system for supplying chemicaladditives to fields.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In FIG. 1, there is shown a block diagram of a process 10 for shapingand distributing fluid and/or particles and fibers or other solidparticles made from fluids in accordance with an embodiment of thisinvention having the step 12 of setting the physical and energycharacteristics of feedstock material, kinetic energy fluid and fixtureoutlet, the step 14 of moving feedstock material to a fixture outlet,the step 16 of forcing the kinetic energy fluid against the feedstockmaterial at a preselected angle to or parallel to the feedstock materialand collecting or distributing the shaped mist, vapor, drops, fibers orparticles as individual drops, fibers or particles or as groups orpatterns of drops, fibers or particles. In this specification, the word“distributing shall mean any form of moving, collecting, spraying orotherwise disposing of the groups, patterns or individual distributeddrops, fibers, particles, vapor or mist. In this specification, “sprayfixture” shall mean an apparatus adapted to be connected to a source offeedstock material and to a force for powering the feedstock materialthrough the apparatus, the apparatus including an outlet and structurefor controlling the output of feedstock material from the outlet of theSpray Fixture.

The step 12 of setting the physical and energy characteristics offeedstock material, kinetic energy fluid and fixture outlet includes thesteps of: (1) establishing the physical characteristics of feedstockmaterial and a kinetic energy fluid; (2) establishing the energycharacteristics of the feedstock material, kinetic energy fluid and thepassageways through which they will flow; (3) establishing the geometryof the passageway for the feedstock material and the passageway orpassageways for the kinetic energy fluid or fluids and the relationshipbetween the passageways such as the angles with respect to each other;(4) the dimensions of the passageways; and (5) the physical andmolecular attraction between the passageways and the feedstock materialand kinetic energy fluid. The feedstock material will generally be aliquid or semisolid but can contain solids in suspension. In thisspecification, feedstock materials, kinetic energy fluids andpassageways that have been prepared to produce a desired shape anddistribution, they are referred to as compatibly-selected feedstockmaterials, kinetic energy fluids and passageways.

In general, this process, controls the configuration of a substance bybringing a compatibly-selected feedstock material and at least a firstmoving compatibly-selected kinetic energy fluid in contact with eachother. In doing this at least one of the pressures of thecompatibly-selected kinetic energy fluid, the velocity of thecompatibly-selected kinetic energy fluid, the velocity of thecompatibly-selected feedstock material, the thickness of thecompatibly-selected feedstock material, the width of thecompatibly-selected kinetic energy fluid, the width of thecompatibly-selected feedstock material, the temperature of thecompatibly-selected feedstock material, the viscosity of thecompatibly-selected feedstock material and/or the characteristics ofexternally applied energy or disruptive forces, if any, is varied. Thecompatibly-selected kinetic energy fluid is usually a gas, such as air.

The process is useful with all kinds of fluids but is particularlyuseful with viscous liquids or semisolids or particles such as seedswithin a liquid or semisolid or just particles without a liquid orsemisolid because of the difficulty of handling these materials withprior art devices. In this specification the words “formable material”means liquids that flow and assume the shape of the container holdingthem but are not gases that expand to fill their container and veryviscous materials or semisolids that may hold their shape but can beshaped without grinding or cutting the material such as only with theuse of pressure (semisolids and very viscous materials are sometimesreferred to as non-Newtonian fluids). This definition applied even ifparticles are included in formable material.

The kinetic energy fluid is a fluid that impacts upon the feedstockmaterial and aids in shaping it into the desired form. The desired formmaybe drops or long strands that will harden into fibers. In oneembodiment, the feedstock material includes chitosan which is shapedinto nano fibers. The kinetic energy fluid will frequently be air butother fluids can be used. Of course, there may be more than onefeedstock material and more than one kinetic energy fluid. The fixtureis the device through which the feedstock material and kinetic energyfluids flow and has a fixture outlet which will distribute the finalproduct. Thus, the fixture outlet will control the angle with which thekinetic energy fluid impacts on the feedstock material and the area ofthat impact. The geometry of the outlet of the fixture can determine thethickness of the feedstock material and the shape and the pattern of thefeedstock distribution. For example, it can include needles that extrudecolumns of a fluid with the kinetic energy fluid flowing substantiallyparallel to them and at different speeds on different sides of thecolumn of feedstock material to stretch it into nano fibers. On theother hand, the feedstock material may be extruded as a sheet and asheet of kinetic energy fluid may impact it on one side and form it intodroplets.

Some of the relevant physical characteristics of the feedstock materialand the kinetic energy fluid are their densities, viscosities, thesurface tension and vapor pressure. The energy characteristics of thetwo fluids include their temperature and energy density. By energydensity, in this specification, the words “energy density” shall meanthe enthalpy per unit volume. Thus, it will be effected by the rate atwhich the feedstock material is pumped to the impact location with thekinetic energy fluid, the velocity of the kinetic energy fluid and itsmass and external energy such as electro dynamic fields or electricfields or mechanical vibrations.

Geometry also takes into consideration the width of the path being sweptby the kinetic energy, the length of the path being swept by the kineticenergy, the roughness of the path being swept by the kinetic energy, thethickness of the feedstock, the angle at which the kinetic energy fluidhits the feedstock, the dimensions of the kinetic energy fluid and thefeedstock material. Molecular attraction means the attraction at themolecular level between the fluid and the material of the passagewaysthrough which it flows.

This process may effect the length of a fiber that is formed and itsthickness. It may result in forming droplets, mist, vapor and particlesand the shape, pattern, density of the pattern, temperature and sizedistribution for droplets, mist or vapor and particles.

The step 14 of moving the feedstock material to the fixture outlet alsowill effect the size of the droplets or cluster of particles or thethinness of a fiber when taken in conjunction to the kinetic energyfluid effects. However, in a preferred embodiment, the feedstockmaterial is moved relatively slowly under very low pressure or nopumping at all since in some embodiments, it can rely on capillaryaction together with the pulling effect of the kinetic energy fluid.

The step 16 of forcing the kinetic energy fluid against the feedstockmaterial at a preselected angle or parallel to the feedstock materialcan have a drastic effect on the particle size, size distribution ofparticles or on the length of fiber that is prepared. Variations in theangle in many instances have a dominating effect on the nature of theflow from the outlet.

The step 18 of collecting or distributing the shaped drops or fibersincludes many varieties. In one case, drops of an agricultural input aresimply sprayed from a series of outlets on a boom such as for example,onto crops. The term, “agricultural input” in this specification meansany of the inputs that are applied to agricultural field such asfertilizer, growth regulator, pesticide, drilling gel or the like. Inother cases, the fibers can be collected as a continuous strand on adrum or by a moving surface. The collection is often aided by magneticattraction. The fibers may be charged and drawn to a collection surfacecontaining the opposite charge.

In FIG. 2, there is shown one embodiment 20 of a device for controllingthe formation of particles and fluids including a first flow path 22 fora fluid and second flow path 24 for a second fluid which are at an angleto each other so as to form a fixture outlet. In one application of theembodiment of FIG. 2, the two flow paths accommodate a feedstockmaterial and a kinetic energy fluid which impact each other at theoutlet to form droplets of a viscous material which may be a fertilizeror pesticide. For this purpose, the flow paths are wide to permit theviscous material to spread on a surface and the kinetic energy fluid tocontact it and break it into relatively uniform droplets with arelatively narrow sized distribution of droplets.

For this purpose, the second flow path 24 has two plates with facingsurfaces between which the feedstock material flows upwardly as shown bythe arrows 42 through the path 38 and up against the surface 40. The twoplates 34 and 36 are spaced to maintain a relatively thin layer ofviscous feedstock material. The thickness of the layer, the width andlength of the exposed surface 40 that is contacted by the kinetic energyfluid and the angle of the contact as well as the pressure of thecompatibly-selected kinetic energy fluid, a velocity of the kineticenergy fluid are all material to the size of the droplets and the sizedistribution. The flow path 22 similarly includes first and secondplates 26 and 28 defining a flow path 30 between them for the kineticenergy fluid. The fluid proceeds towards the surface 40 as indicated bythe arrows 32. While the angle is substantially orthogonal in FIG. 2,generally it will be a much more acute angle for impact to obtain dropswithin a narrow side range and of such a size that with a viscousmaterial, spray drift is substantially reduced.

In FIG. 3, there is shown another embodiment of a system for controllingthe formation of liquids, which system 20B forms thin streams of liquidcompatibly-selected feedstock material that harden into fibers ratherthan drops or mists or vapor as in the case of other embodiments. Forthis purpose, the system 20A includes as its principal parts a housing56, a plurality of needles, the needles 50A-50E being shown forillustration and at least two kinetic energy fluid passageways 52 and54. The needles 50A-50E are mounted within the housing and connected toa manifold 61 having an inlet tube 63 which supplies feedstock materialto the needles 50A-50E at a rate regulated by the regulator 73 connectedto the inlet tube 63. The feedstock material is supplied at no pressureor very low pressure under the control of a pump or regulator 73 whichmay be a valve connected to the inlet tube 63 to a container of asubstance such as chitosan or any other material from which it isdesirable to make fibers. Each of the two kinetic energy fluidpassageways 52 and 54 is on an opposite side of the feedstock materialand flow a different rates to stretch the streams into very thin fiberssuch as nanofibers.

To supply a first kinetic energy fluid through the first kinetic energyfluid passageway 52, a regulator 75, which may be a valve supplies afirst kinetic energy fluid such as air at a first flow rate to acompartment 65 through a tube 67. This compartment is sized to overliethe path of the feedstock material to supply kinetic energy fluid in apath substantially parallel and in intimate contact with or only spaceda short distance from the feedstock material. To supply the secondkinetic energy fluid through the second kinetic energy fluid passageway54, a regulator 77 similar to the regulator 75 but set to cause adifferent flow rate at a similarly low pressure connects kinetic energyfluid to a second compartment 69 on the opposite side of the feedstockfrom the path of the first kinetic energy fluid and similarly inintimate contact with or spaced a short distance from the feedstockmaterial. The two kinetic energy fluids are close enough to exert forceon the feedstock material in a manner that stretches the feedstockmaterial to form narrow fibers having a diameter related to thedifference in velocity of the two fluids.

In operation, a hardenable feedstock fluid is forced relatively slowlyout of the openings 50A-50E while on one side of the openings a firstkinetic energy fluid from the first kinetic energy passageway 52impinges on the feedstock in a path that is nearly parallel to therelatively slow flow of feedstock material through the needle openings50A-50C, and at the same time a second kinetic fluid stream flowsthrough the passageway 54 at a different velocity to create a stretchingpressure on the opposite side of the feedstock material. Thisdifferential velocity when taken together with the viscosity, surfacetension and solvent characteristics of the feedstock material determinesthe amount of stretching before the feedstock material hardens intofibers. By controlling these parameters, nano fibers may be formed ofvery viscous materials such as solutions of chitosan at high rates.

While two openings for kinetic fluid, one above all of the needles andone below all of the needles are used in the embodiment of FIG. 3, morethan two can be used. For example, there could be one pair of kineticfluid paths for each needle, such as below and above or on each side toprovide the stretching force. The kinetic energy fluids are usually airbut can be any other fluid compatible with the process. For example,nitrogen could be used. Moreover, the stretching can be done in stageswith more than one pair or the pressure differential can be providedbetween a stationary surface and a fluid. Moreover, while only avelocity difference between two gases is used to create stretching inthe embodiment 20B, other energy forms can be used in addition to theuse of two gases or instead of the two gases such as electrodynamicforce or a differential between a gas and a liquid or a gas and a solidsurface under certain circumstances. Preferably, the circumstances ofthe application of force does not cause premature breaking of thestreams of feedstock material. It has been found that materials thathave been difficult to draw into nanofibers have the appropriateviscosity to be successfully drawn into nanofibers by two air streams.In this specification, fibers or particles formed between two of morefluids with flow rates faster than the feedstock material are referredto as “kinetic-energy fluid shaped” fibers or particles and the processof forming them is called “kinetic-energy fluid formation”.

In FIG. 4, there is shown a side view of the system 20 shown inperspective in FIG. 2, having a first flow path 22 and the second flowpath 24. The first flow path 22 is formed of plates 26 and 28 throughwhich the kinetic energy solution flows through the passageway 30between the plates 26 and 28. The second flow path 38 receives thefeedstock material flowing in the direction 42. It is bounded by theplates 34 and 40. As best shown in this view, the kinetic energy fluidflows through the path 30 against the surface 40 which extends beyondthe plate 34 on the plate 36 to provide a length of feedstock materialwhich is impacted.

In FIG. 5, there is shown a sectional view through the lines 5-5 of FIG.4, having the passageway 24 with the plate 34 shown in front and theplate 36 behind it to expose a surface 40A. The surface 40A differs fromthe surface 40 of FIGS. 2 and 4 by the presence of rough spots which maybe projections or indentations or grooves or any other configurationdepending upon the effect desired, one projection for example beingshown at 60.

In FIG. 6, there is shown an end view of the second flow path 24Athrough which the feedstock material 38 may flow before impacting with akinetic energy fluid from the first flow path 22 (FIG. 4) having a firstplate 64 and a second plate 62. As shown in this view, one or both ofthe first and second plates 62 and 64 forming the second flow path arecurved unlike the flow path for the feedstock material of FIG. 2. Thecurvature may be imparted for any desired effect such as to compensatefor other effects that might intend to make the drops from the end ofthe sheets smaller or larger. Since the thickness of the feedstock is afactor in the size of the drops, the curved flow path can be used tocompensate for these other effects or create new effects of its own.

In FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, there is shown three perspective views of a fixture20C in with its parts in three different positions with respect to eachother to illustrate its construction of the fixture. The fixture 20C asbest shown in FIG. 7, includes an inlet end cap 70, an outer cylinder74, and an outlet end cap 72. The inlet end cap 70 includes a kineticenergy fluid inlet port 66 and a feedstock material inlet port 68 forreceiving the kinetic energy fluid 30 and the feedstock material 38respectively. It is positioned on one side of the outer cylinder 74 withthe outlet end cap 72 being positioned on the other side. The outlet endcap 72 includes the impact surface 40 formed on the inner bottom of theoutlet cap 72 and having a cylinder end rest 76 extending approximately40 degrees around the outer circumference of the end cap 72 to receivethe outer cylinder 74 and an inner cylinder (not shown in FIG. 7) torestrict the area through which the feedstock material and kineticenergy fluid flow. A center portion which is recessed as shown at 78forms a kinetic energy fluid impact area and an outer circumferentialarea 80 provides an impact area for a thin wall of feedstock materialand the outlet of the fixture 20C so that the air impacts at 78 andflows circumferentially outwardly to impact a thin circumferential rimof feedstock material. The circumferential arc at the outer edge of theimpact area 80 for the feedstock material determines the angle of thespray and can be adjusted by rotating the inner cylinders with respectto the outlet in a manner to be described hereinafter.

In FIG. 8, there is shown another perspective view of the fixture 20Calso showing an inner cylinder 78 that is within the outer cylinder 74with the inner cylinder being lowered against the surface 78 to permitthe flow of the kinetic energy fluid through the inner tube 30 againstthe impact surface 78 from which it flows outwardly to contact thefeedstock material impact surface 80 and force it outwardly. The kineticenergy fluid which in the preferred embodiment is air at a relativelylow pressure between zero and ten psi and move commonly in the range ofone to three psi is intended to develop droplets in a viscous materialor a Newtonian fluid with a defined size distribution and adequate sizefor contact with plants and to avoid spray drift.

In FIG. 9, there is shown still another perspective view of the fixture20C with the outer cylinder withdrawn exposing a larger section of theinner cylinder 80 having a recessed longitudinal extending portion 82and showing the outer cylindrical surface of the inner cylinder 80against the inner surface of the outer cylinder 74 so that thelongitudinal recessed portion 82 provides a curved narrow path for theflow of feedstock material, thus providing a relatively narrowed curvededge against which the kinetic energy fluid flows to spray Newtonianfluid, a viscous feedstock material or suspended particle. Because theinner cylinder is rotatable with an end cap, this recessed portion maybe aligned with or misaligned with the impact surfaces 78 and 80, thuscontrolling the circumferential number of degrees of the spray.

In FIG. 10, there is shown still another perspective view of a fixture20D which is similar in every respect to the fixture 20C of FIGS. 7-9but has a recessed portion 84 which, instead of receiving feedstockmaterial from one feedstock inlet indicated at 68 in FIGS. 28-30, mayreceive either or both of two feedstock materials through inlets 68A and68B. Thus, it may mix inlets for dilution purposes or receive a choiceof more than one feedstock from multiple inlets that are controlled by avalve or fed by multiple pump channels from a three position valve (oneposition can be used to purge with water).

In FIG. 11, there is shown a schematic block diagram of an apparatus 90for utilizing the spray systems such as the spray system 20C including aspray vehicle 92, which supports and carries at least a storage vessel94, a pump 96 and booms or other fixture holders. In this specification,“spray vehicle” means any means of transporting a feedstock material forapplication to agricultural land whether it be a land vehicle, boat oran airplane and whether the spray vehicle is intended to spray a fluidsuch as for example a pesticide or intended to plant seeds. Commonly,the spray vehicle 22 may be a small vehicle such as would otherwise beused as a recreational vehicle or a golf cart or the like or may belarger vehicles such as pick-up trucks or still larger especially madeheavy equipment intended for carrying agricultural input chemicals.

The storage vessel 94 which typically will be a tanks or the like maycontain a agricultural input material. Commonly, this material isviscous in its original form, and unlike the prior art, is sprayed inviscous form although it maybe slightly diluted. With the fixture 20C,viscous materials can be effectively sprayed and sprayed with dropletsizes that are particularly effective for foliar reception, or on theother hand, finer droplets that might be spread closer to the ground.Moreover, the spray vehicle can be a planter and the sprayed materialsmay be a very viscous material with randomly located seeds or otherparticles.

For example, a particularly effective herbicide, glyphosate, isgenerally diluted to a large heavy volume before spraying to reduce itsviscosity and provide a carrier volume because the prevalentagricultural sprayers cannot effectively spray low volume or highviscosity herbicides. Glyphosate is sold by Monsanto Company, 800 NorthLindbergh Boulevard, St. Louis, Mo. 63167 U.S.A. under the trademark,Roundup. This invention effectively sprays glyphosate at a rate of 4quarts of total liquid per acre rather than the 10 required forconventional sprayers.

The equipment is also capable of spraying powders which may be utilizedin some applications. In some applications the fixture 20C includesmeans for applying a charge to the drops so as to direct them better tothe plants. This device may take many of the forms known in the art suchas for example passing the drops through an electric field.

A pump 96 will generally be a low pressure low-volumepositive-displacement pump, pumping fluid to the fixture with zeropressure at the fixture. Because the invention does not require liquidpressure for atomization, high pressure pumps are not needed and leakageproblems are avoided. In the preferred embodiment, it is a gear pump. Inthe preferred embodiment, it will be blowing approximately five or lesspsi of a compatibly-selected kinetic energy fluid against a viscous orother fluid within the fixtures 20C. The fixtures 20C will commonly bemounted to spray booms as known in the art. The spray booms 98 will bemounted on the spray vehicle to provide coverage over a large area witha plurality of appropriately spaced fixtures along the boom.

In one embodiment, the spray from the fixtures passes between twocharged plates 23 supplied by a power supply 21. A single power supplycan provide potential to several combinations of plates in parallel. Theplates induce a charge onto the drops leaving the fixtures and thischarge has been found to improve the contact of the drops with leavesunder some circumstances.

In FIG. 12, there is schematic block diagram of a planting system 100having a planter 102, a storage vessel 104 for semisolids in whichparticles are suspended for distribution, a semisolid transfer mechanism106, such as a auger and a fixture 20C. In this embodiment, relativelysmall seeds are suspended in the a storage vessel 104 for seedsuspension materials 104. In this specification, “seed suspensionmaterials” means a medium that is capable of keeping particles suspendedfor an extended period of time rather than permitting them to settle. Inthis specification, the language “in suspension” when referring to seedsor other solid particles means that the seeds or other particles arebeing held spaced from each other distributed through a medium withoutsettling for the amount of time needed for planting seeds. This time maybe a day or longer so that a farmer may use fluid drilling until a tankis used up without needing to mix the seeds again because they havesettled from the original mixing. The medium may be mainly a gel, orsemisolid, or colloid, or very viscous material. There is enough highdensity material including particles within the seed suspensionmaterials to exert force on solid seeds and move them together with thesemisolid rather than causing the semisolid to flow around them whenshear plate force is applied. This combination permits seeds to berandomly mixed and randomly distributed in the seed suspension materialsto be moved by an auger and eventually dispersed through the fixture20C. The auger has pitch angles on the screw graduated from low anglesat the inlet to facilitate feeding the seed gel mixture to higher anglesin the delivery tube section to give a friction pumping surface to movethe gel seed mix. The screw in effect provides a shear plate motiveforce for delivering the seed particles and the fluid while at the sametime providing a moving delivery tube wall to dislodge any seed pile upsand further, it effectively singulates seeds into the delivery tube.

In FIG. 13, there is shown another planter system with the same planter102 which may for example be a spray vehicle with a means for forming atrough and distribution of seeds in the trough, a storage vessel forseed suspension materials and semisolid transfer mechanism 106. However,instead of the fixture 20C, the seed suspension materials at the end ofthe auger is simply removed by a seed knife which maybe an air burst ora solid member that scrapes the material into the trough.

In FIG. 14, there is shown a flow diagram of a planting process 120including the step 122 of forming a fluidic continuous medium capable ofsuspending seeds and moving the seeds with the continuous medium, thestep 124 of mixing the seeds in the continuous medium to form fluidicsemi-solid with randomly dispersed seeds within and the step 126 ofdistributing the fluidic semi-solid with randomly dispersed seeds withinit on an agricultural field. In this process, the fluidic continuousmedium may be a material of sufficient density or a colloidal suspensionhaving a density and viscosity that is sufficient so that the seeds willbe extremely slow in settling. The seeds should be supported withoutsettling significantly more than 10 percent and preferably less than 5percent in the period of time between mixing the seeds in the medium andplanting. Normally, this time will be less than a 24 hour period sincecommonly the farmer will mix the seeds and medium in the same 24 hourtime period as he plants. To obtain adequate mixing, the seeds shouldhave force directly applied to them. This can be accomplished by mixinginto the medium a sufficient amount of solid particles so that there iscontact through the solid particles and the moving surfaces applyingforce for mixing.

In the preferred embodiment, this mixture is moved by an auger to afurrow for planting and sections of it as appropriate for the number ofseeds are removed from the end of the auger into the furrow or broadcastonto the subject field using a spray fixture designed to spread theseeds over a broad pattern. This can be done with a substantiallyconventional or specially modified planter. The auger will besynchronized normally with the speed of the planter which may bereceived from the wheel speed or any other proportional area. The totalacreage being utilized may be measured by a conventional globalpositioning system for purposes of monitoring the amount of seed beingdispersed and, under some circumstances, for accounting purposes such asbilling or the like. In this specification, a fluidic continuous mediumcapable of suspending seeds and moving the seeds with the continuousmedium while the seeds remain randomly distributed will be called a“seed-supporting medium”.

In FIG. 15, there is shown a flow diagram of a process for fluiddrilling, including the step 132 of preparing a seed supporting mediumand incorporating beneficial inputs with seeds, the step 134 of mixingseeds in the seed supporting medium to form fluidic semi-solid withrandomly dispersed seeds within it and the step 136 of distributing thefluidic semi-solid with randomly dispersed seeds within it on anagricultural field. The beneficial inputs may be bio-chemicals orbeneficial microorganisms which can be sustained on the seed surface orin the hydrated seeds and facilitated by the appropriate seed supportingmedium.

In FIG. 16, there is shown a flow diagram of a process 140 for formingfibers comprising the step 142 of forming a liquid containing thesubstance to be formed into fibers or powders, the step 144 of causingmovement of individual streams of the liquid into a working zone, thestep 146 of stretching the streams into fibers of the desired lengthwith at least one energy field and the step 148 of drying and collectingthe fibers or the alternate steps 147 and 149 of forming particles suchas powder and drying and collecting the particles. Some materials aredifficult to put into a form which can be further formed into smallfibers. For example silica and chitosan and many metals are useful ifthey are put into a nano-fiber form but it is difficult to get them intoa liquid form and then use prior art processes to form nano-fibers. Inthis invention, once the desired substances are put into a liquid, theycan be moved as indicated by the step 144 into a working zone by theapparatus of FIG. 3. While in the working zone, streams of the liquidcan be stretched to the desired diameter using an energy field or twoenergy fields. For example the apparatus of FIG. 3 provides a kineticenergy fluid as one field and another kinetic energy fluid as anotherfield which stretches the streams because they are moving at differentvelocities, one on one side of the stream and the other on another side.When the streams are at the right desired diameter, they are dried andcan be collected by known processes such as electrospinning as shown instep 148.

In FIG. 17, there is shown a process 150 for forming one importantmaterial, chitosan, into a liquid state so as to form chitosan fibers orpowders which are useful for many purposes. For example chitosan fiberscan be used in many pharmaceutical applications such as drug deliveryand controlled release and in medical technology such as wound and burndressings or surgical treatment, dermatitis and fungal infections,contact lens, bacteriostat and fungistat and bone disease, biotechnologyapplications such as membranes, biocatalysts, enzyme immobilization,protein separation, cell immobilization, food products, preservatives,fat absorption animal feed additives, metal-chelating processes such asabsorption of transition metal ions such as copper, chromium, lead,silver and so on, agricultural products such as timed-release, seedcoating, foliar application and paper products. There are difficultiesin forming a liquid containing chitosan that would be suitable for themaking of fibers. One difficulty is that most known solutions are moreconductive than desirable and have a higher viscosity than desirable forthe prior art methods of forming fibers. An improved method of puttingchitosan into a liquid state as shown in FIG. 17.

In FIG. 17 there is shown an improved process for putting chitosan intoa liquid state suitable for the forming of fibers, thin films, mats orpowders having the step 152 of dissolving chitosan powder in a water andan acidic solution such as a glacial acidic acid solution, the step of154 of bubbling carbon dioxide through the chitosan solution, the step156 of adding an organic solvent while continuing to bubble carbondioxide through the solution until it is suitable for forming fibers orthe step 157 of adding a surfactant while continuing to bubble carbondioxide through the solution until the solution is suitable for formingpowder. While it is known that acetic acid can be displaced by bubblingcarbon dioxide through the acetic acid solution, this has not beenapplied to chitosan solutions. While carbonic acid (11₂CO₃, on CO₂solubilization) has a lower pK than acetic acid, it is mere mass actionimposed by continuous feeding of the former that facilitates removal ofthe organic acid from the aqueous environment. The use of CO₂ instead ofan inert gas has the synergistic effect of stabilizing a pH below 5,which is critical to maintaining chitosan in solution. However, the CO₂bubbling by itself leads to chitosan precipitation by saturation as thewater and acid is removed. This problem is avoided by adding solvent.Superior results in avoiding precipitation of chitosan have beenobtained by replacing the lost ingredients with ethanol, thussynergistically lowering the surface tension of the solution, which isrequired for making fibers. If an alcohol is added without bubblingcarbon dioxide through the solution, the solution may form a gel withonly the addition of small amount of alcohol.

The chitosan-water-CO₂-ethanol solution is difficult to spin in thisform. However, it has been found that addition of as little as 2.5 wt. %poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) is sufficient to markedly improve fiberformation using prior art spinning techniques with temperature andvoltage control and the addition of surfactant improves the formation ofpowders. However, the fiber lengths obtainable even with thisformulation using the prior art electrospinning techniques arerelatively short compared to the fiber lengths obtainable with the fiberforming techniques of this invention using two kinetic energy fluids ondifferent sides of a compatibly-selected feedstock material. The use ofthe two kinetic energy fluids on different sides of acompatibly-selected feedstock material also permits the formation ofsatisfactory fibers without electrospinning and the formation of longerfibers using the above solution and electrospinning

Evaporation of a small amount of ethanol during the time-of-flight ofthe charged liquid filaments from the delivery capillary to thecollector electrode is all it takes to induce solidification.Interestingly, while the dominant chitosan weight fraction in the fibersis insoluble in water, washing the fibrous deposits with de-ionizedwater lowers the PEO content below its starting value of 2.5%.

More specifically, in one embodiment, solutions of chitosan requiringvery small amounts of plasticizers such as poly(ethylene) oxide, or noaddition of plasticizer agents at all, are prepared by dissolution ofchitosan in carboxylic or mineral acid aqueous solutions, followed bytotal or partial displacement of the acid with carbon dioxide bubbling,and addition of controlled amounts of ethanol. With the aid ofelectrohydrodynamic processing of the solution formulation fibers andparticles with apparent diameters in the micron and submicron range areproduced. The chitosan solution formulation also affords processing intothin films, given its lower surface tension than other formulationsbased on water and carboxylic and/or mineral acids.

In FIG. 18, there is shown a process 160 of forming continuous fibershaving a fixture 20A, a collector 162, a source of high potential 164,and a motor 166 for driving the collector 162. The fixture 20A receivestwo kinetic energy fluids through the regulators 75 and 77 to contactthe feedstock material and an impact area 80. The feedstock material isbeing extruded from needle openings 50A-50E onto the collector 162 whichis rotated by the motor 166 while a high potential electrical differenceis applied between the needles 50A-50E and the collector 162 to furtherstretch and draw the fibers. In the preferred embodiment, the fibers aredrawn into nano fibers. The feedstock material leaving the needles50A-50D is fed at a rate between and 2 and 7 micrometers per minutethrough the regulator 75.

The collector and the needles 50A and 50E is spaced five to ten inchesapart and the gradient is approximately 4 to 600 volts per centimeter.Without the potential applied, oriented nano fibers can be produced.With the potential applied, a mat is obtained consisting of micrometerdiameter fibers parallel to each other in length between each other bynano fibers forming a tissue like mat of considerable strength with theability of having good cell adhesion to be useful in many biomedicalapplications. Variations in viscosity and potential can result inelectro spray of fine particles when it is desired to make nanoparticles.

In FIG. 19, there is shown an SEM of non-oriented chitosan fibers drawnwith a potential gradient of between 4 and 600 volts per centimeter to astationary collector to form a thin film or paper. With slow rotation, amat is formed such as the mat shown in FIG. 21. In FIG. 21 there isshown an SEM of a mat including chitosan fibers 172 in the micrometerdiameter range (between 0.5 and 1.5) and chitosan fibers 174 in thenanometer range with micrometer fibers 172 cross-linked with thenanometer range fibers 174. The flow rates were generally between 0.5and 1 milliliter per hour with the distance between electrodes beingapproximately 11 centimeters to 30 centimeters.

In FIG. 20, there are shown oriented fibers (longitudinal axis parallelto each other) that are obtained by more rapid rotation and a higherpotential gradient. The limit on the potential gradient is related toarcing between the fibers and can be increased with spatial increasesbetween fibers at the price of having fewer fibers per square inch in afinal matted product. The chitosan mats and fibers are obtained withoutsalt in the feedstock material. The solution obtained has a viscosity ofbetween 3 centipoise (cP) and 800 centipoise. With 3.16 centipoise at15.8 percent torque, there is a surface tension of 46.7 dynes and at 716centipoise at 23.9 percent torque, the surface tension is 36.3 dynes.The needle orifices 50A-50E are generally 20 gauge.

The flow rates used to obtain the fibers of FIGS. 19-21 from theapparatus of FIG. 18 are in the nano-micro liter per hour range, and anelectrical potential difference is applied between the needle and acollector electrode surface, preferably located several inches away fromthe liquid delivery point. Depending on key physical properties of thesolution being subjected to EHD (e.g., viscosity, surface tension, andconductivity), on partial or total solvent evaporation dissolved mattercan lead to either particles (electrospray) or fibers (electrospinning).

A very small amount of polyethylene oxide (PEG) is added as plasticizerto facilitate fiber formation on electrospinning. Dissolved carbondioxide keeps the pH of the solution low enough to avoid chitosanprecipitation. By doping the solution with small amounts of PEG, fiberdiameter can be bimodal, with the aligned large-diameter (dominant)fibers having an average diameter of 5 μm, and the cross-linkingfilaments having an average diameter of about 100 nm, as shown in FIG.22. On deposition of an electrically charged fiber, a simple and rapiddischarge mechanism consists of establishing such peculiar multiplepoints of contact with adjacent, or sub-layer fibers. The generation ofsuch extremely thin inter-fiber filaments cannot occur between twodischarged, gelatinous fiber strands in light of surface tensionarguments.

The oriented fiber structure looks like a membrane with average porediameter around 10 Mm. Oriented fiber mats constitute an advance overconventional membranes or fibers since anisotropic mechanical propertiesare key for certain applications such as cartilage engineering. Thefibers emanate in a solvent-swollen state since drying of the mats witha heat gun led to a ten-fold diameter decrease (not shown). The diameterof the fibers, besides being a function of the physical properties ofthe solutions, depends strongly on the concentration of PEO

EXAMPLES

While many other values of the variables in the following examples canbe selected from this description with predictable results, thefollowing non-limiting examples illustrate the inventions:

General Procedure

Solutions of chitosan in acetic acid/water/alcohol were bubbled withpure carbon dioxide gas at atmospheric pressure, and ethanol, methanolor acetone—depending on the co-solvent originally chosen—was added toprevent dryness.

Example 1 Formation of CO₂-EtOH-Chitosan Solution

Procedure:

A suspension of chitosan powder (log, Aldrich DA=80.6%) in 300 mi ofdistilled water was magnetically stirred. a 1 percent Glacial aceticacid (9.53 mL, EM Science, 99.9%) was then added to dissolve thesuspended chitosan. After that, ethanol (Pharmco, 200 proof) was addedslowly to the solution

Result:

A few drops of the 1% chitosan/acetic acid solution in ethanol, areenough to yield precipitates and/or for a gel,

Example 2 Formation of CO₂-EtOH-Chitosan Solution

Procedure:

A suspension of chitosan powder (log, Aldrich DA=80.6%) in 300 mi ofdistilled water was magnetically stirred. Glacial acetic acid (9.53 mL,EM Science, 99.9%) was then added to dissolve the suspended chitosan.The resulting solution was bubbled with carbon dioxide (Linweld,industrial grade) for 30 min. After that, ethanol (Pharmco, 200 proof)was added slowly to the solution while stirring and bubbling CO₂ untiltotal solution reached a volume of H L.

Result:

A clear chitosan solution was produced with no precipitates.,

Example 3 Formation of CO₂-MeOH-Chitosan Solution

Procedure:

A suspension of chitosan powder (Vanson, DA=83.3%), in 300 mi ofdistilled water was magnetically stirred. a 1 percent Glacial aceticacid (9.53 mL, EM Science, 99.9%) was then added to dissolve thesuspended chitosan. After that, methanol was added slowly to thesolution.

Result:

A few drops of the 1% chitosan/acetic acid solution in methanol areenough to yield precipitates.

Example 4 Formation of CO₂-MeOH-Chitosan

Procedure:

A suspension of chitosan powder (Vanson, DA=83.3%), in 300 mi ofdistilled water was magnetically stirred. Glacial acetic acid (9.53 mL,EM Science, 99.9%) was then added to dissolve the suspended chitosan.The resulting solution was bubbled with carbon dioxide (Linweld,industrial grade) for 30 min. After that, methanol was added slowly tothe solution while stirring and bubbling CO₂ until total solutionreached a volume of H L.

Result:

A clear chitosan solution was produced with no precipitates.

Example 5 Formation of CO₂-Ac-Chitosan Solution

Procedure:

Seven g chitosan (Vanson, 83.3%) was stirred in the solution of 315 mldistilled water and 65 ml acetone (EM Science, 99.5%). Adding 6.67 mlglacial acetic acid allowed dissolution of chitosan on stirring. Afterthat, acetone was added at a rate of 200 mI/h until the total volume ofthe solution reached 700 ml.

Result:

A few drops of the 1% chitosan/acetic acid solution in acetone, areenough to yield precipitates,

Example 6 Formation of CO₂-Ac-Chitosan Solution

Procedure:

Seven g chitosan (Vanson, 83.3%) was stirred in the solution of 315 mldistilled water and 65 ml acetone (EM Science, 99.5%). Adding 6.67 mlglacial acetic acid allowed dissolution of chitosan on stirring. Theresulting solution was bubbled with CO₂ for 30 min. After that, acetonewas added at a rate of 200 mI/h until the total volume of the solutionreached 700 ml. This solution was called CO₂-Ac-chitosan.

Result:

A clear chitosan solution was produced with no precipitates.

Tables 1 and two below summarize the results of the examples. Table 1shows the conductivity and surface tension of chitosan solution preparedas in examples 1,3 and 5 and table 2 shows the conductivity, surfacetension viscosity and pH of chitosan solution prepared as in examples2,4 and 6. It appears from these table that CO₂ bubbling significantlyimproves the characteristics of chitosan solution that aid inelectrospinning.

In FIG. 22, there is shown a block diagram of a planting system 200having a seed carrier system 214, a seed and carrier mixing system 216and a controlled fluid drilling system 218. After the appropriate seedsare prepared by initiating germination or priming or otherwise treatingthe seeds such as for example as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,144granted to John A. Eastin on May 13, 1997 or U.S. Pat. No. 6,646,181granted to John Eastin on Nov. 11, 2003 or U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,301granted to John Eastin on Jun. 20, 2000 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,910,050granted to John Eastin on Jun. 8, 1999 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,974,734granted to John Eastin on Nov. 2, 1999 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,144granted to John Eastin on May 13, 1997, they are applied to the seed andcarrier mixing system 216 where they are mixed with the seed carrierfrom the seed carrier system 214 to form a matrix of seeds suspended incarrier. This matrix is applied to the controlled fluid drilling system218 for planting in the field. TABLE 1 Conductivity and pH of solutioncontaining 1% acetic acid in different solvents. Conductivity Solvent(μS/cm) pH Water 645 2.84 70% EtOH, 29% water 22.3 3.87 70% EtOH, 29%water after bubbling CO₂ 22.1 3.93 70% EtOH, 29% water with bubbling CO₂21.0 3.95

TABLE 2 Conductivity and surface tension of 1% chitosan in 1% aceticacid in different aqueous organic solvents after carbon dioxidebubbling. Conductivity Surface tension solvent (μS/cm) (dymes/cm)Viscosity (cP) pH Water (pure) 2180 63 93.9 @31.3% 4.14 70% EtOH 21631.8 53.7 @17.9% 5.26 70% MeOH 695 32.1 65.4 @21.8% 5.44 55% Acetone 71535 53.7 @17.9% 5.33

In one embodiment of the planting system 200, imbibition is done priorto mixing the seed into the gel but only until activation of the seedand prior to the stage of growth. It may then be: (1) returned to thewater content it had before priming; (2) stored, and later; (3) added tothe carrier, which may be a conventional gel for fluid drilling. Thegermination process continues through the activation and growth stagesin the gel and/or in the soil after planting. The time it remains in thegel must be relatively short in terms of days such as less than fourdays although it differs from seed to seed. Preferably, the seeds areplanted within six hours of mixing them into the gel. The process issuitable if no more than 20 percent of the seeds are more than 30percent into the activation stage prior to the removal of water. Theactivation stage is considered to be from the start of metabolic actionin the seed before growth until the start of growth and the abovepercentages are percentage of time of the activation stage.

In addition to priming several other treatments can be performed on theseeds prior to mixing them with the gel, such as for example: (1)germination may be started: (2) beneficial microorganisms may be addedto inoculate the seeds during priming or the microorganisms may be addedto the gel; (3) the seeds may have genes introduced by synchronizing thestage of development of the plant during priming at a stage thatincludes large amounts of 4C DNA and transfecting cells of the seed; (4)damaged seeds can be removed by sorting out larger seeds after soakingthe seeds to cause the damaged seeds to swell or permitting matrixmaterial to adhere to the seed during priming to make a larger cluster;and/or (5) systemic resistance to disease can be induced by introducingdesired agents during priming or in the fluid.

The planter separates the seeds with a small amount of gel around eachof them and plants them in furrows or broadcast spaces them on theground as needed. The amount of gel is considerably less than in priorart fluid drilling systems. The pre-emergence time of seeds planted bythis method is relatively close such as, for example, 80 percent of someplants emerge within one week of each other in contrast to 20 percent bysome prior art fluid drilling processes. At least 50 percent shouldemerge within two weeks of one another in accordance with thisinvention. The seed carrier system 214 includes a suitable gel 30 and,under some circumstances, additives 32 which are mixed into the gel. Theadditives 32 may be microorganisms or pesticides or growth hormones, orfertilizers useful in planting which are intended to innoculate, enterand simulate or protect the seed and seedling.

The gel may be conventional and has a volume: (1) for large seeds suchas those of corn, preferable approximately equal to the volume of theseeds but always between half the volume of the seeds and four times thevolume of the seeds; and (2) for small vegetable seeds such as cabbage,preferably twice the volume of the seeds and always between the samevolume as the seeds and less than ten times the volume of the seeds.

The gel must have a viscosity and mobility: (1) sufficiently high tomaintain the seeds in suspension so that they will not drop a greaterdistance than the depth of a groove of an auger used in the feederwithin the time it takes for the screw to make one evolution; (2)sufficiently low to fill each groove at least half way as the screwturns; (3) sufficiently low to be released at the end of the nozzle witha difference in air pressure as low as one pound per square inch acrossthe nozzle tip; and (4) with sufficient high density particles to enablemixing of the seeds by forces applied to the gel seed mixture, particleor seed.

Generally, many suitable gels are known and may be used in the densitiesprescribed. For example, hydroxyethylcellulose sold by Hercules, Inc.,910 Market Street, Wilmington, Del. 19899, under the trademark“NATROSOL” may be used mixed in the recommended proportions. This gelhas been shown to be capable of supporting microorganisms in fluidplanting. This particular gel, although not the only one available, isdescribed in Bulletin 250-11 revision 10-80, 10M07640H entitled NATROSOLprinted by Hercules, Inc. at the aforementioned address, and its use inmixing is similarly described in other fliers produced by that company.

The viscosity may be measured using a viscometer such as the Brookfieldviscometer and should be in the range of 1,800 to 4,000 centipoises, andgenerally: (1) for small seeds such as cabbage seeds, it is in the rangeof 1,800 to 2,000 centipoises; (2) for medium sized seeds, it is in therange of 2,500 to 3,000 centipoises; and (3) for large seeds such ascorn, it is in the range of 3,000 to 4,000 centipoises. However, theexact viscosity can be determined easily by trial and error in theoperation of the feeder.

The seed and carrier mixing system 216 includes a mixer 34 and additives36. The mixing may be done by hand or by an automatic mixer whichreceives the seeds and the gel and mixes them together thoroughly.Additives such as microorganisms, pesticides, fertilizers or growthhormones may be added at this stage if they have not been added at aprior stage. The seeds and gel should be sufficiently mixed to leave theseeds in suspension and may be done in large quantities and thensuitably poured into the holder, tank or hopper for the feeder or may bemixed in the hopper for the feeder. If they are added to the hopper by ahose from a larger mixer, care must be taken so that laminar flow doesnot remove the seeds from suspension or the mixing must be repeated inthe hopper. Generally, if poured into the hoppers in large quantities,the suspension is not to be disturbed.

The controlled fluid drilling system 218 includes a planter, a speedmeasurement system for the planter 242, a feeder 244, for feeding thecombination of gel and seeds and a separator 246 for separating theseeds, a monitor for the seeds 248 and a control system 50. The planter240 may be a conventional planter pulled by a primary vehicle such as atractor and for opening furrows in the ground and to permit seeds to beinserted into them and for closing the furrows. The feeder 244 andseparator 246 are mounted on the planter 240 to feed gel and seed to thefurrow and separate seeds. The feeder 244 is monitored by the monitor248. A control system 50 may be used to compare the speed of the tractorwith the feeding of seeds and adjust the feeder 244 to maintain theproper orientation. In one embodiment, the speed of operation of thefeeder 244 is measured rather than the actual seeds being dispersed andthis is correlated with the number of seeds in accordance with the seeddensity of the gel. This is done automatically by conventional planterequipment which drive the gel feeder in this invention but are known fordriving seed drilling equipment. Also, a monitor 248 is visible to theoperator who can adjust either the speed of the primary mover pullingthe planter 240 or the speed of the feeder 244 in other embodiments.

In FIG. 23, there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment ofplanter 240A intended for planting relatively small seeds such ascabbage, cucumbers or similar vegetable seeds. Planter 240A as shown inFIG. 23 includes within it parts for planting in two rows, with eachbeing indicated as one of two row sections 243A and 243B havingcorresponding numbers with corresponding prefixes “A” or “B”. The rowsare adjustable with respect to each other on the planter.

The planter 240A is similar in many respects to prior art planters and,in the preferred embodiment, is a modification of an existing drawnplanter of a type manufactured and sold by John Deere Corporation withthe trademark Max-Emerge with the modifications being directedprincipally to the operation and mounting of the feeders indicated at244A and 244B and a common separator section 246 supplying air toseparator sections 246A and 246B. The planter includes a depth controlgage having first and second depth control gage wheels (not shown inFIG. 23), first and second tool bar support wheels 260A and 260B, firstand second furrow preparing sections 262A and 262B, first and secondfurrow closing and pressing sections 264A and 264B, and a tool bar 259.The feeders 244A and 244B and the separator 246 are adapted to bemounted on the planter to dispense a matrix to separate the seeds, andto cause them to drop into a furrow before it is closed and pressed.

The planter is adapted to be pulled by a tractor 270 in a conventionalmanner and the tractor 270, in some embodiments, has mounted on it asuitable monitor 248 and indicating displays to show the speed ofmovement of the tractor 270 and the rate of dispensing of the seeds bythe feeder 244 or, in other embodiments, a count of the seeds to permitready correlation of the speed of the tractor 270 with the rate ofdispensing seeds to control the spacing of seeds. The common separatorsection 246 has a blower or other source of low pressure air 272connected through a pressure gage 274 with two hoses 246A and 246B forseparating seeds in each of the two feeders 244A and 244B. The feeders244A and 244B have corresponding feed hoppers 276A and 276B forreceiving the mixture of gel and seed and feeding it to a nozzle forseparation by the separators 246A and 246B to be more fully explainedhereinafter.

In FIG. 24, there is shown a side elevational view of the planter 240Afrom side A, showing one tool bar wheel 260A, one depth control gagewheel 261 A, the furrow preparing section 262A and the furrow closingand pressing section 264A. As shown in this view, the separator commonsection 246 (FIG. 23) blows air through the separator hose 246A adjacentto the feed hopper 276A. The feed hopper 276A includes a bottom feedsection 278A ending at the tip 279A of the bottom feed section 278A andseparator hose 246A located adjacent to the furrow preparing section262A and before the furrow closing and pressing section 264A to feedseeds and gel into the furrow after it is opened and before it isclosed.

To drive the bottom feed section 278A at a speed related to the movementof the planter 240A, the furrow closing and pressing section 264Aincludes a chain and sprocket section 280A with a bottom sprocket wheel282A rotating with the pressing wheels and driving a top sprocket wheel284A through the chain drive, The top sprocket 284A rotates a shaft 86Athrough gearing, which shaft powers the bottom feed section 278A. Asimilar transmission for driving the feeder 244B (not shown in FIG. 24)is connected in a similar manner on the other side of the planter.

In FIG. 25, there is shown a side elevational view of an embodiment 240Bof planter intended for larger seeds, such as corn seeds, having as someof its parts: (1) depth control gage wheels, one of which is shown at261C; (2) a plurality of disc openers, one of which is shown at 263C;(3) a plurality of furrow preparing sections, one of which is shown at262C; (4) a plurality of separators, one of which is shown at 246C; (5)a plurality of feeders, one of which is shown at 244C; and (6) aplurality of sets of furrow closing and pressing sections, one of whichis shown at 264C.

As in the embodiments of FIGS. 23 and 24, the embodiment of FIG. 25contains a plurality of parallel row preparing sections forsimultaneously planting a plurality of rows of seeds parallel to eachother side-by-side and the embodiment of 240B is similar in manyrespects to the embodiment of 240A of planter. However, the embodimentof 240B includes a water reservoir and pump shown generally at 290, anda different furrow digging shoe to be described hereinafter. The waterreservoir and pump 290 is used only to clean equipment and does notenter into the planting of seeds. The feeder 244C is shown with a bottomfeed section 278C which feeds the seeds and matrix to its nozzle wherethe seeds are separated one-by-one by the separator 246C. As shown inthis embodiment, the nozzle for the bottom feed section 278C and thenozzle for the separator 246C are placed in close juxtaposition witheach other, and with the furrow being prepared so that the separator246C blows air downwardly and perpendicularly to the ground or in aslight angle to the ground across the tip of the nozzle of the bottomfeed section 278C, thus causing seeds as they are moved to the nozzleoutlet to be forced away from the nozzle one by one to the ground.

To prepare the ground for receiving the seed and matrix, each furrowpreparing section, such as 262C, includes a corresponding planting shoe,such as 294C, adapted to cooperate with and be aligned with acorresponding opener disks 263C. The shoe 294C is mounted for adjustmentin depth to a mounting plate 95C which maintains it in position at aconstant depth with respect to the ground. The bottom feed section 278Cand the separator 246C are mounted adjacent to the shoe 294C to placethe seed and matrix in the ground behind it.

Because the seeds are able to emerge sooner in this gel planter, theshoe 294C (shown broken away in FIG. 25) during planting is less deepthan in many applications. It is adjustable in positions and in FIG. 25is shown raised slightly above ground. The feeder 278C is driven in thesame manner as the embodiments of FIGS. 23 and 24, but may be driven byseparate motors if desired. The nozzle 336 of the feeder is positionedwithin wings of the shoe 294C at a distance from the ground and withinthe furrow forming element so as to cause the seed and matrix to beproperly deposited.

In FIG. 26, there is shown a fragmentary, rear perspective view of theplanter 240B four row sections 243C, 243D, 243E and 243F for forcing geland seeds from their four corresponding feeders 244C-244F to thecorresponding nozzles (not shown in FIG. 26). In the preferredembodiment, the bottom feed sections, one of which is shown at 278E, arecontrolled by the speed of the vehicle. However, they may be independentof the speed of the vehicle and controlled automatically or by anoperator in conjunction with a separate speedometer for the tractor.This arrangement is especially advantageous when seed counters of theoptical type are used since an adjustment can be made from the cab basedon the seed count to maintain regular spacing. In such a case they maybe driven by a separate hydraulic or electric motor.

As best shown in FIG. 26, the tool bar support wheels 260C and 260D aremounted by hydraulic cylinders 281C and 281D to the tool bar 259A in aconventional manner to adjust the depth or height of the planting shoes.The feeder, one of which is shown at 278E feeds into the furrow.Conventional row markers 279A and 79B mark the rows. To supply air underpressure to the feeders, the separator 246A includes a source of airunder pressure and a pressure gauge mounted to the tractor and connectedby hoses to supply air to a location near the seed feeder. In thepreferred embodiment, the source of air under pressure includes a bloweras described above.

In FIG. 27, there is shown a perspective view of a planting shoe 294having a mounting shaft 296, a cutting edge 298, a furrow formingportion 300, and a trailing portion 302. The mounting shaft 296 isgenerally square and attached to the top of the planting shoe 294. Theplanting shoe 294 is mounted horizontally behind the disk openers of theplanter to prepare a furrow as it is moved through the ground. Thecutting edge 298 is mounted so that it is substantially within theground with its top flat surface above the ground. The cutting edge 298is able to dig or deepen a furrow. Its furrow forming portion 300 widensthe furrow, and its trailing portion 302 causes loose soil to be movedout of the way.

As shown in FIG. 28, its trailing portion 302 contains outwardlyextending portions 304 and 306 and a cut away portion which permits someflexing as it passes through the furrow and forces the soil to the side.The seeds are fed between the outwardly extending portions 304 and 306from a height sufficient to avoid clogging of the nozzle with dirt andclose enough to the furrow to prevent the matrix and seeds from beingmoved outside the furrow while falling by various forces such as wind orvibrations.

In FIG. 29, there is shown a side elevational view of an embodiment ofshoe 310 for planting larger seeds, such as corn, having a mountingbracket 112, two aligned cutting edges 314A and 314B, and a trailingportion 318. The cutting edges 314A and 314B and trailing portion 318are substantially identical to the cutting edge 298 (FIG. 27), furrowforming portion 300 (FIG. 27) and widening portion 302 (FIG. 27).However, since the furrow should be deeper for these seeds, the cuttingedge 314A is lower than the cutting edge 298 (FIG. 27) and the cuttingedge 314B is wide to make a deeper, wider furrow. These designs of shoesenable the gel to fall within the groove and be relatively regular inlocation notwithstanding a slightly angled path of the gel from thenozzle caused by wind or vibration. To form a protective area for thematrix, gel and seeds to fall, the spaced apart portions 304 and 306 arespaced from each other where the seeds drop. The planting shoes 294(FIGS. 27 and 28) and 310 are mounted to float at the level adjusted forthe openers to which they are mounted under the control of the levelgauge wheels in a manner known in the art, for this purpose the mountinglever 312 is mounted to the shoe 310 and the mounting lever 312 ismovably mounted to an opener mounting bracket in a manner to bedescribed hereinafter.

In FIG. 30, there is shown a perspective view of a feeder 244 and aseparator 246 of a type which is most useful for small seeds, such ascucumber or cabbage seeds. The feeder includes a feed hopper 276A, abottom feed section 278A, a motor output shaft 330, a mounting bracket332, a vibrator 334 and a nozzle 336A. To expel seeds and matrix, thebottom feed section 278A is: (1) connected to and driven by the shaft330; (2) mounted by the mounting bracket 332 to the frame of theplanter; and (3) mounted to the feed hopper 276A from which it receivesgel and seeds. It drives the seeds and gel under the driving force ofthe shaft 330 through the feeder nozzle 336 while the feeder nozzle 336is vibrated by the vibrator 334. The shaft 330 is rotated by the chainand sprocket section 280A in synchronism with the speed of the planteracross a field or by a motor. The separator 246 includes a nozzle 340, ahose 342 and a mounting bracket 144. The hose 342 is in communicationwith the source of air 272 (FIG. 23) of at least one pound per squareinch pressure above atmospheric pressure and transfers that air underpressure through the hose 342 to the nozzle 340. The hose 342 is mountedto the feed hopper 276A by a mounting bracket 144 so that its nozzle 340is above and pointing substantially perpendicularly downwardly towardthe ground at a location just beyond the feeder nozzle 336 to blow airacross that nozzle downwardly to the ground. The hose 342 is relativelystiff so that it may be mounted in position without moving under windpressure or the like.

The feed hopper 276A is generally open topped and rectangular, beingcapable of holding several gallons of gel and seed with sides extendingdownwardly to a location close to the bottom feed section 278A where itis angled to communicate therewith. Other sizes and shapes of feedhoppers may be used, with the wall construction being adapted to causethe seeds and the gel to move into the bottom of the hopper 276A andinto the feed section 278A without the seeds being separated by laminarflow against the walls of the hopper, or settling into groups of sideswithin the gel because of the period of time required for the largequantity of gel to be planted. Thus, the size of the feed hopper isrelated to the stability of the suspension of seeds and gel and isdesigned to retain uniformity in the dispersion of seeds within the feedhopper 276A until the seeds are driven through the feeder nozzle 336.The bottom feed section 278A for the feeder 244 includes a cylindricalcasing having an axis generally perpendicular to the central axis of thefeed hopper 276A or inclined at an angle thereto. The angle of thebottom feed section 278A is such as to cause gravity to aid in thefeeding of gel from the feed hopper 276A through the feeder nozzle 336.The longitudinal axis of the feed means makes an angle with thelongitudinal axis of the feed hopper 276A such that the feed nozzle 336is lower and further away from the top of the feed hopper 276A than theend receiving the motor output shaft 330.

To move the gel and seeds with a positive force, the feed means has agenerally cylindrical casing which may be mounted at its bottom end by amounting bracket 332 to the housing or by any other means. It receivesat one end the motor output shaft 330, which is rotated by a hydraulicmotor or by gearing connected to the press wheels or any other mechanismto force the seed/gel mixture toward the feeder nozzle 336A. The feedernozzle 336A extends from a cap or closure mounted about the bottom feedsection 278A to emit gel downwardly such as that shown at 337.

To maintain seeds in the feeder nozzle 336A in a uniform suspension fordispersion in spite of possible laminar flow through the feeder nozzle336, the vibrator 334 includes an electromagnet 350, a mounting base352, a mounting bracket 354 and a yoke 356. The mounting base 352 ismounted to the cylindrical casing of the bottom feed section 278A by thebracket 354 and supports the electromagnet 350. The electromagnet 350includes a U-shaped ferromagnetic outer member and a centrally locatedconductive winding connected to a source of alternating voltage thatcreates a flux path within the U-shaped ferromagnetic material first inone direction and then in the opposite direction to attract and repel ayoke.

To vibrate the nozzle 336, the yoke 356 includes a ferromagnetic springand downwardly extending member which fits around and grasps the feedernozzle 336. The ferromagnetic spring extends between the legs of theU-shaped ferromagnetic material, being firmly fastened at one end andspring-biased from the other end, so that the flux path through theU-shaped member pulls the free end of the spring toward it to complete aflux path in one direction, and releases it as the flux path changesdirections, pulling it back again to complete the path in the otherdirection. This action vibrates the yoke 356 and the feeder nozzle 336at a frequency and amplitude sufficient to maintain a smooth flow ofseeds. While a typical ferromagnetic vibrator has been disclosed, thereare many such vibrators of different types available commercially andother vibrators may be utilized if it vibrates the yoke 356 at afrequency and displacement amplitude: (1) sufficient to prevent theseparation of seeds from the matrix while the seeds are still within thefeeder nozzle 336 as the gel and seeds flow from the feeder nozzle 336,such as by friction against the walls; and (2) also sufficient to aidthe separation of gel and seeds outside of but in contact with thefeeder nozzle 336 in a controlled manner with the aid of air flow fromthe separator nozzle 340. The principal purpose of the vibrations is tomaintain an even dispersion of seeds and gel as the gel and seed matrixflows through the nozzle after it has left direct contact with theauger's shear force members.

The vibrations should be at a frequency suitable for the purposeintended, and generally having a longer wave length than the area of theseeds. It should generally be between 20 cycles per second and 10,000cycles per seconds with an amplitude of between one millimeter and 3millimeters to prevent the seeds as they push through the nozzle frombeing lodged in the exit and plugging the nozzle. The amplitude of thevibrations should be sufficient to create an inertia effect between theseed and the gel and, thus, is related to the viscosity of the gel andthe density of the seeds. In general, it should create an accelerationof at least one micron per second, per second.

The separator 246 is intended at regular intervals to force seeds andmatrix arriving at the tip of the feeder nozzle 336 to be separated anddrop to the ground. It may be a mechanical vibrator which passes acrossthe opening or a rotating fan-like mechanism but in the preferredembodiment, is a jet of air having approximately a pressure of one poundper square inch above atmospheric pressure. To properly separate theseeds, the air stream should be between 1/10th of a pound per squareinch and 3 pounds per square inch above atmospheric pressure or belowatmospheric pressure if it is a vacuum pump position to remove gel andseeds and permit them to drop by gravity. Preferably, the air streampasses directly across the tip of the feeder nozzle 336A in a verticaldirection in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of thefeeder nozzle 336 and perpendicular or at a slight angle in a planepassing through the longitudinal axis of the feeder nozzle 336, theangle along the longitudinal axis of the delivery tube being no morethan 60 degrees on either side of a normal to the ground within a planepassing through the longitudinal axis of the auger and being no morethan 30 degrees from a normal to the ground in a plane perpendicular tothe longitudinal axis of the auger.

In FIG. 31, there is shown another embodiment of feeder 244A connectedto the separator 246 and having an identical vibrator 334, mountingbracket 352, bottom feed section 278A and shaft 330. However, the feedhopper 276B differs from the feed hopper 276A of FIG. 30. Thedifferences are generally intended to accommodate larger seeds than thatof the feed hopper 276A of FIG. 30 by making the concentration of theseeds into the bottom feed section 278A easier.

The feed hopper 276B includes an enlarged top portion 360, an inwardlyangled portion 362, a narrow portion 364 and an auger portion 366 whichis attached to the bottom feed section 278A. The bottom feed section278A has an auger 370 within it which is rotated by shaft 330 from thechain and sprocket section or from a motor to move the gel toward thefeeder nozzle 336B. The narrow portion 364 narrows down to force gelonto the auger 370 where it can be moved within the cylindrical bottomfeed section 278A which encases it so that the threads of the auger 370successively move the gel to the feeder nozzle 336.

To facilitate flow of the mixture, the narrow portion 364 is at an angleso that the bottom feed section 278A tilts downwardly with the feedernozzle 336B being below the shaft 330. The narrow portion 364 connectsthe auger portion 366 with the inwardly angled portion 362 which causesthe mixture to slide inwardly. The enlarged top portion 360 is above theinwardly angled portion 362 to contain more material and yet by gravityforce the mixture downwardly onto the auger 370.

In FIG. 32, there is shown a plan view of the feeder 244A having a feedhopper 276A, an auger 370, and the nozzle 336. The feed hopper 276A has:(1) an open top end to receive gel and seed; and (2) a bottom endcommunicating with the auger 370 to supply a mixture of seed and gelthereto. To receive gel and seeds, the feed hopper 276D has: (1) anenlarged top portion 360 having a rectangular cross section withstraight vertical sides; (2) a smaller center or connecting portion 362having inwardly tapered walls connecting the top end portion and lowerportions; (3) a lower narrow portion 364 having a rectangular insertion;and (4) an inwardly tapered section or auger portion 366 ending with theauger 370 at the bottom. The auger 370 has at one end a pin connection372 for connecting to the shaft 330 (FIG. 31) to rotate the auger 370and at its other end a termination land 374 intended to eject seeds. Theauger 370 contains threads within a compartment 180 located at thebottom of the feed hopper 276A and opening upwardly into the feed hopper276A. The threads of the auger extend within the nozzle 336A shown at182, the nozzle 378A being a closed cylinder surrounding the end of theauger 370 and ending in an opening 384 which opening has tapered wallsand an orifice through which the seeds and gel pass. The bottomcompartment 180 is not as long as the trended portion of the shank ofthe auger. An unthreaded portion 381 of the auger, at least one inchlong, fits within the compartment 180 for receiving gel to be moved bythe auger to the nozzle.

The feed hopper 276A, auger 370 and nozzle 378A are designed withdimensions selected to prevent: (1) cracking of seeds between edges ofthe auger 370 and the nozzle 378A or feed hopper 276A; (2) theseparation of seeds by laminar flow against surfaces, resulting ineventual blocking of the nozzle 378A; (3) pulsating output of seeds andgel caused by irregular delivery from the auger 370 through the opening384; and (4) improper spacing of seeds by disruption of the evendispersion of seeds within the gel. To reduce cracking of the seeds, theangle of the threads of the auger 370 at their upper edge and the angleof the bottom feed section 278A or the feed hopper 276A at the locationwhere the gel is first pushed from the feed hopper 276A into the bottomfeed section 278A are selected to avoid a scissor effect which may crushseeds. For this purpose, the angle of the flight where it passes intothe tube and the angle of the wall within the feed hopper 276A that itcontacts are selected to be equal so that flight and wall operate as anedge moving parallel toward an edge. This structure permits maximum gelto be drawn into the bottom feed section 278A and avoids a scissoreffect which may catch the seeds and crack them.

To reduce the separation of seeds by laminar flow as the gel moves downthe feed hopper 276A, the feed hopper 276A is of a sufficient size tocreate downward pressure into the auger compartment and has angled wallswhich are related to the viscosity of the gel and the size and densityof the seeds. The bottom angled surface is intended to channel the geldirectly into the auger 370 rather than permitting it to lie against aflat surface where seeds may eventually separate out by slow motion ofthe gel or motion of the gel in a horizontal plane against the bottom ofthe feed hopper 276A. The straight surfaces are intended to create ahead of weight which tends to force the gel downwardly with pressureagainst the slanted surfaces.

To prevent blocking near the end of the bottom feed section 278A wherethe matrix of seeds and gel enter it from the feed hopper 276A, thedepth of the grooves in the auger is sufficiently deep and the angle ofthe threads sufficiently great to cause the gel to be moved with only asmall surface area of gel with a large bulk moving in contact with astationary surface at a rate which is not conducive to laminar flow. Thethreads are shaped in this manner because laminar flow may otherwisecause separation of seeds against the surface of the grooves andeventually result in clogging. The actual flow is turbulent andconducive to some mixing that maintains the seeds in suspension.

The depth of the grooves in the auger varies with the size of the seedand the amount of gel. The angle of the threads is correlated with anumber of factors to control the speed of movement of the surface of thegel against the walls of the bottom feed section 278A, the other factorsbeing: (1) the spacing between seeds; (2) the speed of the planteracross the ground; (3) the density of the seeds within the gel; (4) theangle of the threads of the auger 370; and (5) the number of revolutionsper minute of the auger 370. To reduce separation at the exit end of thebottom feed section 278A, the angle of the termination land 374 issharpened to push gel and seeds out at a greater velocity. Thus, theangle of the inlet end of the bottom feed section 278A matches thethreads and the threads have an angle at that location which isdifferent than the angle at the exit end.

To reduce plugging of the nozzles: (1) the angle of the termination land374 and the angle of narrowing of the bottom feed section 278A areselected for maximum ejection velocity, (2) an air separator is used asdescribed above; and (3) a vibrator is used as described above. The endthread of the auger extends into the tapered portion of the nozzle tocreate a force as the taper occurs to increase velocity and thus reduceclogging. The vibration appears to create turbulence and avoids thelodging of the seeds at this location. Since the viscosity of the gelaffects both the settling rate and the ability to separate at thenozzle, it is chosen with both factors in mind. Some gels change inviscosity with time and so seeds which have been preconditioned aremixed with the gel and the gel immediately used since its viscosity canbe controlled at the starting point. This also reduces the possibilityof the gel drowning the seeds for lack of oxygen because of the shorttime that they are actually in the gel and yet permits rapid andsynchronous emergence of plants that are planted from the fully hydratedseeds with the invention.

The threads between grooves are shaped with a flat top edge which canclosely engage the walls of the bottom feed section 278A and a thicknesswhich is low compared to the size across of the groove to permit the geland seed matrix to be carried in pockets sufficiently large as comparedto the surfaces against which the open end of the grooves move so thatwith the auger rotating at a speed sufficiently low, separation bylaminar flow is low. Generally, the edges of the threads should be lessthan 1/10th of the open surface between threads in the grooves and thegrooves should be at least as deep as the linear length of the openspace. The diameter of the screw should be such with the aboveconstraints as to prevent motion between the walls of the bottom feedsection 278A and the gel greater than 36 linear inches per minute foraverage viscosity gels.

To prevent the output from pulsing, either: (1) the angle of the threadsis uniform; or (2) the ratio of depth to width of the grooves of theauger 370 are selected so that there is not a great difference in thedelivery rate during different portions of a revolution of the auger.Similarly, the width of the edge and slope of the threads are selectedto avoid a dead space into the nozzle. A shallow, wide groove causesmore of the gel and seed to be exposed to frictional and centrifugalforces while being moved toward the nozzle in the bottom feed sectionand thus creates better mixing for a uniform distribution of seeds butincreases the possibility of the seeds being removed by frictionalforces against the surface.

The angle of the threads, except for the front end, should be at least15 degrees and is preferably 22 degrees with a pitch of 1.5 per inchsingle groove. The angle at the land at the tip of the auger is muchsharper and should form an acute angle no greater than 15 degrees tocause a rapid acceleration of the matrix and seeds and gel at the tip.While in the preferred embodiment, the pitch and angle of the auger 370is sharply increased only adjacent to the nozzle 336A or 336B. it mayhave a different pitch within the bottom feed section 278A than withinthe feed hopper 276A itself since the tendency to separate out isgreater in the bottom feed section 278A where it is surrounded by tubewall with no open side. Throughout the auger 370, it is desirable toform the trailing edge of each thread to aerodynamically pull the gelforward and the forward edge to push the gel forward.

In FIG. 33, there is shown a fragmentary perspective view of a planterillustrating the positioning of the feeder 244A, the planting shoe 310,the separator nozzle 340 and the gauge wheel 261A in a furrow preparingsection 262A. As shown in this view, the planter is mounted to the gaugecontrol wheels 261A behind the openers and to the access of the gaugecontrol wheels where it floats as attached by the lever 312 to afloating adjustable support 313.

To permit floating at an adjustable height, the lever 312 is pinned at315 to the level adjustment support 313 which is also mounted to thegauge wheel shaft at 317 but is adjustable in height thereabout by meansof a lever 119, so that: (1) the tip of the shoe 310 is mounted at thesame level as the opener adjacent to the depth gauge wheel 261A; (2) therear portion of the lever 312 is pinned at 315 at a height adjustable bythe lever 119 with its bottom connected to the top of the shoe; and (3)the shoe rear, lever 312 and level adjustment are all free to moveupwardly or downwardly a short distance under the control of a springbias lever 321 by pivoting about the pin 315 and shaft 317. Between thewings of the trailing section 318 of the shoe 310, the separator nozzle340 and the nozzle of the feeder 278A are positioned adjacent to eachother to be shielded by the trailing edge 318. The amount of movement ofthe shoe is insufficient to remove the separation tip and nozzle tipfrom the wings of the shoe at 318 where they are protected from dirt orwind which might otherwise disrupt their operation.

With this arrangement, room is provided within the furrow diggingmechanism for the separator nozzle and feeder nozzle within a protectedlocation that shields the nozzles from being clogged by dirt or havingthe seed moved aside by excessive wind and yet permits them to be closeto their final location with respect to the ground for planting. Theamount of spring bias and dimensions of the shoe mounting are related sothat the floating action of the shoe does not expand the nozzle tips.

In FIGS. 34, 35 and 36, there are shown three different augers 392, 394and 396, respectively, with the three augers being for different sizeseeds. The auger 392 has a shank with a larger diameter and a largerpitch or angle to the threads at the tip. The grooves between threadsare also larger and the threads have a smaller angle. It is adapted forseeds the size of corn. The auger 394 is for small seeds such as carrotor lettuce and has a tip 400 with a smaller pitch. Generally, it has a ½inch outer diameter, with a one inch lead between threads and a depth of⅛ inch between the grooves and the top edges of the threads. FIG. 36shows an auger for medium size seeds such as onion seeds having a ¾ inchlead between threads and a 0.40 depth of the groove. Its tip 400 is astill lower angle tip. In general, the augers have a pitch of betweenone-half inch and three inches and a groove depth of between 1/16 of aninch and three inches. The shank lengths are between two inches and sixfeet long and their diameters are in a range of 1/16 inches to sixinches.

In FIG. 37, there is shown an elevational view of the vibrator 334 and amounting bracket base 352, with the vibrator including an electromagnet350 and a yoke 356. The mounting base is connected to the mountingbracket 354 (FIG. 31) as described above, and the base 352 is connectedto the vibrator by a top screw 351 for firm mounting. To permitvibration of the yoke 356 by the electromagnet 350, the electromagnet350 includes a leaf spring 414, a ferromagnetic outer base 418, and acoil. The metal extension 410 is connected at 412 to the ferromagneticleaf spring 414 which is biased a slight distance shown at 416 from theelectromagnet 350. The outer base 418 is an inverted U-shapedferromagnetic member having two end portions 420 and 434 and surroundingthe electromagnetic coil which is electrically connected to a source ofAC potential as described above. To vibrate the nozzle, the yoke 356includes a downwardly extending arm 426 and a collar 228, with the arm426 being connected to the ferromagnetic leaf spring 414, which isseparated from the ends 420 and 434 by the gap 416 and attached at itsother end to the collar 228 for vibrating the nozzle (FIG. 32) of thedrive means for the feeder 244.

In FIG. 38, there is shown a nozzle 336B having a land 384 and one ormore slits 337. The nozzle is made of an elastomeric material such asrubber and capable of expanding. The slits and the rubber constructionare adapted to seeds which have a small amount of gel with them and thusprovide a solid mass to squeeze through the tip one by one in thesingulation process, but not generally being able to escape by gravity.At the tip, they are vibrated by the vibrator as described above andsingulated by air. In the alternative, the fixture 20C as described inconnection with FIG. 12 may be used to separate the seeds one from theother and expel them.

In FIG. 39, there is shown a nozzle 338 which is formed of relativelyrigid plastic and adapted to receive small seeds containing a largeamount of gel. This nozzle does not expand but vibrates and has sectionsof gel removed by the separator containing seeds for singulation. Thegel has sufficient self adhesion to prevent the seeds from escaping thetip of the nozzle prematurely by gravity.

In FIG. 40, there is shown another embodiment of feeder 444 andseparator 446 substantially the same as the embodiments of FIGS. 30, 31and 32 except it is specially designed for careful placement of seeds bycausing the seeds to fall within a group of preselected target areas.For this purpose, it includes a spacer 430 comprising a solenoid 432 anda solenoid operated lever 434 positioned in juxtaposition with theseparator nozzle 340 and the feeder nozzle 336. The solenoid 432 may beany type of solenoid capable of moving the solenoid operated lever 434so that the lever moves a blocking mechanism 236 over the orifice in theseparator nozzle 340 to interrupt the air therefrom. With thisembodiment, the solenoid 432, when actuated, moves the solenoid operatedlever 434 into the path of the separator nozzle 340 so that seeds andmatrix are not forced from the feeder nozzle 336 by a stream of airunder pressure from the separator nozzle 340. When the feeder nozzle 336is directly over the target area, the solenoid 432 is de-energized torelease the solenoid operated lever 434 and open a path for the air fromthe separator nozzle 340 to blow across the feeder nozzle 336, thusremoving the gel and seed which accumulated while the air was blockedfrom the feeder nozzle 336.

In FIG. 41, there is shown a plan view of still another embodiment 440of feeder having a hopper and first, second and third augers 446, 448and 450. The hopper includes a rectangular outer wall portion 242, aninwardly tapered wall portion 444 ending in a flat bed which receiveswithin recesses the augers 446, 448 and 450. This embodiment 440 issimilar to prior embodiments except that there are three augers formingthree drive means for three different rows of seeds within a singlehopper 452.

In FIG. 42, there is shown a perspective view of the embodiment 440 ofthree-row feeder and separator showing the single hopper 452 mountedvertically with three nozzles 454,456 and 458 extending therefrom to bevibrated by a single vibrator 470 having yokes about each of the nozzlesfor vibrating them as described above in connection with single rowfeeders and separators. Adjacent and above each of the nozzles 454, 456and 458 are corresponding separator nozzles 460, 462 and 464 adapted tobe connected to a manifold 480 which receives a source of air underpressure at the connection 480 under the control of the valve 468 so asto control the pressure of the air flowing across the nozzles. Thisembodiment of feeder and separator operates in the same manner as theprior embodiments and is adapted to be mounted to a planter to plantadjacent rows in close juxtaposition from a single hopper. It has theadvantage of economy and the ability to plant closely spaced rows ofseeds.

In FIG. 43, there is shown an embodiment of a gel-chemical dispenser 498having a separator 446, an additive source 500, a peristaltic pump 534and a nozzle 532. The gel-chemical dispenser 498 may be used alone ormounted in tandem with a feeder 444A (FIG. 31) to have gel withadditives separated by air from a nozzle 532 and deposited with seedfrom the feeder 444A or alone. Moreover, it may be used with a spacer430 (FIG. 40), and if used with a spacer 430, may be synchronized with asimilar spacer and a feeder to deposit additives with seed.

A separator 446, which is substantially the same as the separators usedin the embodiment of FIG. 31, cooperates with the nozzle 532 but may bearranged differently with the nozzle 532 in one embodiment from thearrangement of FIG. 31. A nozzle for the chemical additives similar tothe nozzle 536A (FIG. 39) may also be used, and in this case theseparator 446 may be positioned in a manner similar to the position itis used in the feeder 444A (FIG. 31) to deposit additives and gel or aseparator may not be used at all to deposit a tubular column of gel andadditives. The pump 534 communicates with a source of gel and chemical530 through a plurality of conduits, two of which are shown at 536A and536B, to pump this combination of gel and chemical to a plurality ofnozzles, one of which is shown at 532A, through a plurality of conduits,two of which are shown at 538A and 538B.

The peristaltic pump 534 may be any suitable peristaltic pump such asfor example pumps sold under the trademark Masterflex by Cole-ParmerInstrument Company, Chicago, Ill., which may be driven by a shaft suchas shaft 286A (FIG. 24) by a wheel so as to synchronize pumping ratewith travel speed or pumps sold by Cole-Parma under the trademarkISMATIC if driven by a separate motor controlled by the operator tomaintain delivery speed in accordance with speed of the dispenser withrespect to the field. Moreover, pumps other than peristaltic pumps maybe used.

The nozzle 532A may be vibrated in a manner similar to the embodiment ofFIG. 31 or may rely only on the force of the pump 334 to cause acontinuous substantially uniform gel-chemical additive to be applied. Inone embodiment, the nozzle 532A is cut away at 540A to provide an opentop channel to receive gel and the nozzle 540 of the separator ispositioned to direct air under pressure directly at the open top of thechannel and thus form a mist of gel-additive spray that is uniformlyspread over any area. The opening is adjusted so that chemical additivesare economically used and may be contained by the gel at a concentrationsuch that uniform and adequate distribution with the gel is obtained atthe appropriate rate by controlling the pump speed, size of nozzle 532Aand speed of movement across a field with respect to the concentration.

In FIG. 44, there is shown a chemical dispensing system 498 adapted tobe pulled across a field to provide additives having the pump 334, thechemical tank 330, an air manifold 350, a ground wheel drive 352, theair lines 446A-446H, the chemical lines 538A-538H and the nozzles532A-532H. The pump 534 is driven by the ground wheel 352 to pump agel-additive matrix through the lines 538A-538H. Air from two blowers354 and 356 pressurize the manifold 550 to a pressure controlled by airpressure adjustment valve 358 as measured by an air pressure gauge 360.Air under pressure is applied through the air lines 446A-446H to thenozzles 532A-532H to spray droplets of the gel and chemical additive.

This system has the advantage of: (1) reducing the amount of chemicaladditive and carrier because it is viscous and maybe slowly but evenlydistributed; and (2) is not susceptible of clogging because reasonablesize nozzle openings may be used and the viscous gel may he expelledthrough them with substantial force to keep them clear without usingexcessive amounts of gel or additive. Before operating the planter ofFIGS. 23-43 of this invention, seeds having characteristics suitable forfluid drilling are selected. The seeds may be activated initiallythrough priming, dried to terminate activation, stored until plantingtime, mixed with a gel and then fed from a planter as the plantertraverses the field in properly spaced orientation for rapid germinationand emergence.

To precondition the seeds, the seeds are permitted to absorb water atproper germination temperatures as described by Bredford, Kent J. “SeedPriming: Techniques to Speed Seed Germination”, Proceedings of the Oreon Horticultural Society, 1984, v. 25, pp. 227-233. After reachingactivation but prior to growth, the seeds are removed from the primingsystem and dried.

Prior to planting, a gel is prepared from commercial powders such asthose sold by Hercules, Inc., 910 Market Street, Wilmington, Del., underthe trademark “NATROSOL” (hydroxyethylcellulose). Generally, the gel isprepared in the manner described by the manufacturer which, in thepreferred embodiment, is Hercules, Inc., as described in their Bulletin450-11 revision 10-80 m 10M07640H entitled NATROSOL.

The viscosity of the gel used in fluid drilling in accordance with thisinvention when Natrosol is the gel agent should be between 800 and 5000centipoise. Preferably, for relatively small seeds such as cabbage, themixture is prepared to yield soft gel having a viscosity of between1,800 and 2,000 centipoise; for medium sized seeds a medium strength gelhaving a viscosity of between 2,500 to 3,000 centipoise and for largeseeds, a heavy strength, having a viscosity of between 3,000 to 4,000centipoise. The volume of gel to seed is in a range of ratios of between1 to 1 and 4 to 1 and preferably a range of 3 to 1 for small seeds. Theseeds and gel are preferably mixed together within three hours beforeplanting. Additives such as microorganisms having beneficial effects onthe plants may be added to infect the seeds or pesticides andfertilizers or growth hormones may be added to the gel at the same timeit is mixed or after but before planting. The matrix of seeds and gelare mixed and put into the feed hoppers 476A and 476B as shown in FIGS.23, 24, 25, 26, 30, 41, and 42. In each case, at least one gallon ofmatrix to 20 gallons of matrix and include a head of pressure of atleast five pounds.

Beneath the gel, is a drive mechanism for the feeder which includesmeans for moving pockets of gel and seed as groups along at leastpartially enclosing surfaces to reduce the amount of motion between gelsurfaces and solid surfaces. The hopper into which the gel is formedgenerally requires surfaces arranged to reduce the removal of seeds byfriction against the surfaces during flow of the material. Similarly,the drive mechanism is designed to have a reduced area of contactbetween solid surfaces and the moving surface of the gel and for thispurpose, an auger is used. To avoid plugging of the auger by reducingthe separation of seeds and gel, the helical grooves in the auger arebetween ¼ inch and ½ inch in depth and between ⅛ inch and 1½ inchesbetween threads, with the threads being no more than ⅕ of the distancebetween threads in thickness and no less than ⅕ of the depth of thegrooves. With this arrangement, a relatively pulseless flow is providedof pockets of gel with a relatively small moving surface of insufficientvelocity to cause substantial separation of seeds.

As the auger carriers pockets of matrix of gel and seed through adistribution tube toward a feed nozzle, the threads of the augersapproach the edge of the bottom seed section or the hopper, whichever isfirst, but approach it in a parallel fashion with an angle correspondingto the angle of the hopper. This prevents the squeezing of seeds andcracking of the seeds as they pass into the auger delivery tube in thebottom feed section 478A (FIG. 31). The seeds are conveyed by the augerto an end thread which is at a relatively sharp angle to thrust the gelforward through the vibrating nozzle. As the seeds and gel pass throughthe orifice in the nozzle, there is a tendency for them to accumulate.However, air under pressure blows downwardly with a pressure of at leastone-tenth of a pound per square inch and 20 pounds per square inchacross the nozzle in a direction along a plane passing through thelongitudinal axis of the delivery tube and perpendicular to the ground,with the air flow being at an angle to the ground no more than 60degrees on either side of a normal in a plane along the longitudinalaxis of the auger and no more than 30 degrees from the normal to theground in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the auger.

The hopper and feed mechanism are pulled along a field during thedelivery of seeds and include a furrow opener and modified widening shoefor larger seeds, which spreads the earth into a wide furrow. Furrowclosing and pressing wheels close the furrow and, in one embodiment,control the rate of rotation of the auger so as to adjust the dispensingof seeds to the speed of the tractor. In other embodiments, the seedsare detected or the rate of turning of the auger is detected anddisplayed to the tractor operator who pulls the planter at a speedcorresponding to auger speed and approximately five miles an hour.

For certain seeds which are relatively large and planted deeper, such assweet corn, the furrow opener has mounted to it a blade extendingdownwardly an additional inch to create a deeper groove for the seed todrop further into the furrow. In embodiments of planter which areintended to drop seeds through spaced apart apertures in plastic or thelike for accurate stands, a solenoid operated blocking device is timedto block air until the seed is about to be dispensed and then move theblocking plate away so that the air will blow matrix and seed into theaperture in the plastic. While an individual auger has been describedthrough the center of a single hopper, multiple augers may be utilizedpositioned so that the gel flows into the auger with adequate pressure.In such a case, each auger will terminate in a separate nozzle vibratedby a vibrator and utilizing a separator. It is possible to use onevibrator to vibrate several nozzles.

From the above description, it can be understood that the plantingapparatuses and methods of this invention have several advantages suchas: (1) there is less damage to seed because of the controlled primingup take; (2) it is economical in the use of gel per acre; (3) there isless damage to seeds from lack of oxygen or drowning or the like; (4)the seeds may be controlled for spacing in a superior manner duringdrilling; (5) there is good control over uniformity in the time ofemergence of the plants from the seeds; and (6) the process iseconomical.

From the above description, it can be understood that the spray methodand apparatus of this invention has several advantages such as forexample: (1) vehicles and aircraft used for applying agricultural inputsto fields to do not need to carry as heavy a load of carrier fluid toapply agricultural inputs, for example, they can carry the same activeingredients as prior art agricultural inputs with a reduction in waterof as much as 90 percent; (2) they reduce or eliminate the requirementfor periodic addition of carrier fluid, thus reducing the time andexpense of spraying; (3) they permit the application of some beneficialmicrobes with seeds because the agricultural inputs containing microbescan be applied at pressures low enough to avoid killing the microbes;(4) the high viscosity, relatively large drop size and narrow sizedistribution of the agricultural inputs reduce drift when sprayed; (5)it is possible to avoid diluting agricultural inputs with carriers suchas water that have high surface tension and form beads on contact ratherthan spreading such over a leaf; 6) drops of agricultural inputs withgreater shear resistance can be used to reduce the breaking up of thedrops and the resulting increase in drop size distribution, reduction indrop size and increased drift; (7) it is not necessary to add carriersused for dilution, such as water, that have unpredictable mineralcontent and pH variations; (8) the tendency for active ingredients toprecipitate out because of the addition of carriers is reduced; and (9)in some embodiments, the particle size of active ingredients can bereduced and thus provide better penetration into a host.

It can be further understood from the above description that the planterin accordance with this invention has several advantages such as: (1) itcan provide effective fluid drilling with adequate separation of seeds;(2) it can provide planting of seeds with superior beneficial microbeinoculation characteristics; (3) it can combine effective planting withbeneficial chemical and microbial additives; (4) it provides goodseparation of seeds being planted without repeated mixing of the fluidand the seeds; (5) there is less damage to seed because of controlledpriming in the presence of air and controlled water uptake; (6) it iseconomical in the use of gel per acre; (7) there is less damage to seedsin the planting operation; (7) the seeds may be controlled for spacingin a superior manner during drilling; (8) there is good control overuniformity in time of emergence of the plants from the seeds; and (9) itpermits protection of the seed and addition of additives economically.

It can also be understood from the above description that the method,formulations and apparatus for forming fibers in accordance with thisinvention have several advantages, such as: (1) longer fibers can beformed; (2) chitosan fibers, mats and sheets can be more economicallyand better formed; and (3) fibers can be formed without electrospinning.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described withsome particularity, many modifications and variations in the preferredembodiment are possible without deviating from the invention. Therefore,it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims,the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.

1. Apparatus for controlling the configuration of a substance,comprising: a first flow path for a compatibly-selected feedstockmaterial; at least one second flow path for a compatibly-selectedkinetic energy fluid; said first and second flow paths being positionedwith respect to each other, wherein the compatibly-selected feedstockmaterial and the compatibly-selected kinetic energy fluid are broughtinto contact with each other; and at least one means for adjusting atleast one of a pressure of the compatibly-selected kinetic energy fluid,a velocity of the compatibly-selected kinetic energy fluid, a velocityof the compatibly-selected feedstock material, a thickness of thecompatibly-selected feedstock material, a width of thecompatibly-selected kinetic energy fluid, a width of thecompatibly-selected feedstock material, a temperature of thecompatibly-selected feedstock material, and a viscosity of thecompatibly-selected feedstock material.
 2. Apparatus in accordance withclaim 1 in wherein the compatibly-selected kinetic energy fluid is agas.
 3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein thecompatibly-selected feedstock material includes at least one viscousliquid.
 4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means foradjusting at least one of the pressure of the compatibly-selectedkinetic energy fluid, a velocity of the compatibly-selected kineticenergy fluid, the velocity of the compatibly-selected feedstockmaterial, the thickness of the compatibly-selected feedstock material,the width of the compatibly-selected kinetic energy fluid, the width ofthe compatibly-selected feedstock material, the temperature of thecompatibly-selected feedstock material, and the viscosity of thecompatibly-selected feedstock material is adjusted to cause theapparatus to form drops of the feedstock material within a predeterminedsize range.
 5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein thefeedstock material is a pesticide.
 6. Apparatus in accordance with claim4 further including apparatus for applying an electric change to thedrops.
 7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the means foradjusting at least one of the pressure of the compatibly-selectedkinetic energy fluid, a velocity of the compatibly-selected kineticenergy fluid, the velocity of the compatibly-selected feedstockmaterial, the thickness of the compatibly-selected feedstock material,the width of the compatibly-selected kinetic energy fluid, the width ofthe compatibly-selected feedstock material, the temperature of thecompatibly-selected feedstock material, and the viscosity of thecompatibly-selected feedstock material is adjusted to form fibers. 8.Apparatus accordance with claim 7 wherein the feedstock materialincludes chitosan.
 9. Apparatus accordance with claim 1 in which themeans for adjusting at least one of the pressure of thecompatibly-selected kinetic energy fluid, a velocity of thecompatibly-selected kinetic energy fluid, the velocity of thecompatibly-selected feedstock material, the thickness of thecompatibly-selected feedstock material, the width of thecompatibly-selected kinetic energy fluid, the width of thecompatibly-selected feedstock material, the temperature of thecompatibly-selected feedstock material, and the viscosity of thecompatibly-selected feedstock material is adjusted to provide a pressureof the compatibly-selected kinetic energy fluid that is less than 30psi.
 10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 9 in which the means foradjusting at least one of the pressure of the compatibly-selectedkinetic energy fluid, a velocity of the compatibly-selected kineticenergy fluid, the velocity of the compatibly-selected feedstockmaterial, the thickness of the compatibly-selected feedstock material,the width of the compatibly-selected kinetic energy fluid, the width ofthe compatibly-selected feedstock material, the temperature of thecompatibly-selected feedstock material, and the viscosity of thecompatibly-selected feedstock material is adjusted to provide a pressureof the compatibly-selected kinetic energy fluid of between 0 and 15 psi.11. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the compatibly-selectedfeedstock material includes a seed supporting medium having seedssuspended at random locations in it and incorporating beneficialbiological materials in the seed supporting medium.
 12. Apparatus inaccordance with claim 11 in which the beneficial biological materialsincludes beneficial chemicals.
 13. Apparatus in accordance with claim 11in which the beneficial biological materials includes microorganisms.